m 












EH 



H 










A STUDY 



OF 



WULFSTAN'S HOMILIES: 



THEIR STYLE AND SOURCES. 



A DISSERTATION 

PRESENTED TO THE BOARD OF UNIVERSITY STUDIES OF 

THE JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY FOR THE 

DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY 



BY 



/ 



JAMES PINCKNEY KINAKD, 

Professor of English Language and Literature at the Winthrop Normal and 
Industrial College, South Carolina. 



BALTIMORE: 
JOHN MURPHY & CO 
1897. 



V 




TO 
MY FRIENDS AND FELLOW-STUDENTS 

FREDERICK TUPPER, Jr. 

AND 

john McLaren mcBryde, Jr. 



TABLE OF CONTENTS. 



Page. 

Bibliography, ------------7 

PART I. 

Introduction, - 9 

Life of Wulfstan, -----------12 

Sketch of the Times, --- 14 

Reflection of the Times in Homily XXXIII, 18 

Style: 

Vocabulary, - 19 

Sentences, ----20 

Figures of Speech, -- 24 

Clearness, -----------24 

Force, ------- 28 

Narration, - 30 

Relation of the Accepted Homilies to the Laws, - 32 

PART II. 

I. The Wulfstan-Group of Homilies: 

a. Homilies Probably Written by Wulfstan, - - - - 44 

b. Homilies Showing Features of Wulfstan's Style, Though Prob- 

ably Not Written by Him, 54 

II. Homilies Not in the Wulfstan-Group, 56 

Conclusion, ------------ 59 



BIBLIOGRAPHY. 



Anglia, viii. Halle, A./S., 1885. 

Brink, ten, B. : Geschichte der Englischen Liiteralur. Berlin, 1877. 

Dietrich, E. : "Abt iElfrik,'' Zeits.fiir Hist. Theol, herausg. von C. W. Niedner, 

1855-6. 
Dixon, W. K. : Fasti Eboracensis, Lives of the Archbishops of York, edited and enlarged 

by J. Raine. London, 1863. 
Earle, J. : Anglo-Saxon Literature. London, 1884. 
Earle, J.: English Prose. London, 1890. 
Freeman, E. A. : History of the Norman Conquest of England. 6 vols. Oxford, 

1867-79. 
Florence, of Worcester : Chronicon ex Chronicis. 2 vols. (Eng. Hist. Soc.) 

London, 1848-49. . . 

Flamme, J. : Syntax der Blickling Homilien. Bonn, 1885. 

Gale, Thomas : Rerum Anglicanarum Scriptores Veteres. 3 vols. Oxoniae, 1684-91. 
Hoffman, O. : Heimformeln in Westgermanischen. Darmstadt, 1885. 
Kemble, J. M. : Codex diplomaticus cevi Saxonici. 6 vols. London, 1839-48. 
Kemble, J. M : Salomon and Saturn. London, 1848. 
Mohrbutter, A. : Darstellung der Syntax in den vier echten Prediglen des Angel- 

sachsischen Erzbischofs Wulfslan. Lubeck, 1885. 
Morris, R. : The Blickling Homilies. E. E. T. S. London, 1874-76. 
Napier, A. : Uber die Werke des Altenglischen Erzbischofs Wulfslan. Weimar, 1882. 
Napier, A. : Wulfstan, Sammlung der ihm zugeschriebenen Homilien nebst Untersuch- 

ungen uber ihre Echtheit. [Erste Abteilung.] Berlin, 1883. 
Roger, of Wendover : Chronica, sive Flores historiarum. 4 vols. (Eng. Hist. Soc.) 

London, 1841-42. 
Savile, Sir H. : Rerum Anglicarum Scriptores, etc. Frankfort, 1601. 
Schmid, R. : Die Gesetze der Angelsachsen. Leipzig, 1858. 
Schrader, B. : Studien zur ^Elfric'schen Syntax, ein Beitrag zur Altenglischen Gram- 

maiik. Jena, 1887. 
Skeat, W. W. : jElfric's Lives of the Saints. E. E. T. S. London, 1881-85. 
Thorpe, B. : Homilies of the Anglo-Saxon Church (JElfric). 2 vols. (JElfric 

Society.) London, 1844. 
Thorpe, B. : Ancient Laws and Institutes of England. 2 vols. London, 1840. 
Thorpe, B. : Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. 2 vols. London, 1861. 
Wanley, H. : Librorum velt. Septentrionalium, etc. Oxoniae, 1705. 
Wulcker, R. : Grundriss zur Geschichte der Angelsachsischen Liiteralur. Leipzig, 

1885. 

7 



A STUDY OF WULFSTAN'S HOMILIES: 
THEIR STYLE AND SOURCES. 



PART I. 



INTRODUCTION. 

The first critical work on the homilies ascribed to Archbishop 
Wulfstan by Wanley, Catalogue, p. 140 ff., was done by Arthur 
Napier, who published at Weimar, in 1882, a dissertation Uber 
die Werke des Altenglisehen Erzbischqfs Wulfstan. In the follow- 
ing year the same author lightened the labors of his followers in 
Wulfstan criticism by editing all the homilies ascribed by Wanley 
to the Archbishop. 

In the first work Napier, after reviewing the arguments of 
Wanley, accepts his conclusion that the Lupi of the MSS. is a 
Latin equivalent for the first part of the name Wulfstan, and that 
the person referred to can be no other than the Wulfstan who was 
Archbishop of York and Bishop of Worcester during the years 
1002-1023. He does not, however, accept as Wulfstan's all the 
homilies ascribed to him by Wanley, but finds that only four, on 
the basis of MS. authority, can be accepted as his undisputed 
work. The steps by which Napier reaches this conclusion are 
given in his own words (p. 7): "Auf Grund der Ueberschrift, 
incipiunt sermones Lupi episcopi, hat Wanley in B. die Homilien 
1, 2, 3, 8, 9, 10, in C. 1, 2, 4, 11, 12, in E. 1, 2, 7, 13-29 in seinen 
Kanon aufgenommen; er hat also ohne weiteres angenommen, dass 
in jeder der 3 Hss. der Schreiber die Ueberschrift, incip. s. L. e. 

9 



10 A Study of Wulfstan' s Homilies: their Style and Sources. 

selbstandig und mit dem deutlichen Bewusstsein gesetzt habe, dass 
die Homilien, die er abzuschreiben im Begriff stand, von Lupus 
herriihren. Dem ist aber nicht so; die Ueberschrift ist, ebenso 
wie die darauf folgende Predigt, eine blosse Abschrift einer in der 
gemeinsamen Vorlage stehenden Ueberschrift, und es lasst sich 
daraus nur schliessen, dass in der Urhandschrift mehrere Homilien 
des Lupus auf das incipiunt, etc., gefolgt sind. In dieser Urhand- 
schrift haben nun offenbar 1, 2 hinter der Ueberschrift gestanden, 
denn soweit stimmen alle drei Hss. uberein ; was aber auf 2 gefolgt 
ist, lasst sich bei der Abweichung der Hss. von einander nicht 
feststellen. Wir durfen mithin auf Grund der Ueberschrift nur 1, 
2 dem Lupus zuerkennen. Dass 5 und 6 auch von ihm starnnien, 
unterliegt wohl keinem Zweifel; drei Hss. nennen ihn als den 
Verlasser von 5, wahrend eine ihm 6 zuschreibt. Von den 53 
Homilien, die Wanley dem Wulfstan beilegt, bleiben somit nur 
vier, als deren Verfasser Bischof Lupus, in den Hss. selbst mit 
Namen genannt wird." 

Certain parts of homily 4 (Wanley's number), the Hirtenbrief, 
are regarded by Napier as the work of Wulfstan. In MS. C. this 
homily begins : Wulfstan arcebisceop gretep, etc., while in MSS. E. 
K. B. parts of the homily are found without this introduction. 
Napier, finding on examination of the contents that certain parts 
cannot belong to the same homily, rearranges the order and 
accepts the portions which in his edition are numbered xix, xx, 
xxi, xxn as the work of the Archbishop. As to the other 
homilies in the collection, Napier (ib., p. 7 f.) thinks it is not im- 
probable that many of them may be genuine Wulfstan homilies: 
" Indessen ist die Moglichkeit nicht ausgeschlossen, dass viele 
von den iibrigen 49 Predigten dennoch von Wulfstan herriihren. 
Schon der Umstand, dass mehrere von ihnen sich nur in diesen 
drei Hss. befinden, konnte, wenn andere Grande hinzukamen, 
als Bestatigung dienen ; . . . Wir miissen jedoch von den vier 
Homilien 1, 2, 5, 6 ausgehen und in denselben nach inhaltlichen 
und stilistischen Kriterien suchen, die uns in unserer Beurtheilung 
der iibrigen Homilien zu einem sicheren Resultate fiihren konnen. 
. . . Zuerst sei hier noch ein Wort vorausgeschickt uber die 
Schwierigkeit der zu losenden Aufgabe. Dieselbe besteht keines- 
wegs bloss darin, 49 gut uberlieferte Homilien durchzugehen, sie 



A Study of Wulfstan's Homilies: their Style and Sources. 11 

zu sichten und entweder als echt aufzunehraen oder als unecht 
zu verwerfen. Schon eine oberflachliche Durchsicht brachte mir 
die Ueberzeugung, dass die Mehrzahl der Wulfstan zugeschrie- 
benen Homilien nichts anders, als blosse von den Abschreibern 
zusarnmengestellte Kompilationen aus anderen Homilien sei, mit 
anderen Worten, dass von den 49 Predigten sehr wenige in der 
urspriinglichen Gestalt noch vorhanden seien. Zum Theil sind 
sie reine Stoppelwerke, indem die Schreiber das, was sie in 
mehreren Vorlagen gefunden, mit mehr oder weniger Geschick 
zusammengeworfen haben. Beschreibungen der Holle, der himm- 
lischen Freuden u. s. w., Stiicke, die sie aus allerlei Quellen 
geschopft haben, setzen sie neben kirchliche Gesetze oder Stiicke 
aus der Bibel, und versehen das Ganze mit einem passenden 
Anfang and Schluss. Zum Theil sind die Predigteu, wie sie 
uns vorliegen, einfache Zusammenstellungen, Bearbeitungen und 
Erweiterungen kirchlicher Gesetze; zum Theil auch selbstandige 
Predigten von anderen Verfassern, aus den Aelfric'schen Homi- 
liensammlungeu und aus den Blickliug Homilies, denen der 
Schreiber meistens einen anderen Anfang gegeben hat." 

The difficulties attending any attempt to separate the genuine 
Wulfstan homilies in this collection from the spurious are empha- 
sized by all critics who have expressed themselves on the subject. 
This fact, however, should rather inspire than deter an honest 
study of the material, an effort undertaken here with the hope 
that it may help somewhat toward a satisfactory conclusion of the 
matter. The first part of the paper contains a study of the style 
of the homilies accepted by Napier, along with a comparison of 
them with the Laws of JEthelred and Cnut, and the Institutes of 
Polity and Ecclesiastical Institutes. The second part of the paper 
contains an attempted classification of the remaining homilies, 
with an effort to determine which of these may be attributed to 
Wulfstan. 

Before proceeding to a treatment of the style of the homilies, 
the few known facts of* Wulfstan's life are given, followed by a 
short sketch of the times in which he lived, with a word on the 
reflection of the times in homily xxxiii. 

For convenience of reference, Napier's designation of MSS. is 
given (cf. Napier, Wulfstan, etc., p. viii). 



12 A Study of Wulf starts Homilies: their Style and Sources. 

A = MS. Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, S. 13 
B= " « " « " S. 14 

C= " " " " " S. 18 

D= " " " « « S. 9 

E = " Junius 99, Bodl. (Oxford) ; 
F = " Junius 22, Bodl. (Oxford) ; 
G= " Junius 121, Bodl. (Oxford) ; 
H = " N. E. F. iv, 12, Bodl. (Oxford) ; 

I = " Cotton Nero A. I (Brit. Mus.) ; 

K = " Cotton Tiberius A. 3 

L = " Cotton Tiberius A. 3 " 

M = " Cotton Otho B. 10 " 

N = " Cotton Cleopatra B. 13 " 

O = " Cotton Tiberius C. 6 " 

R = " Junius 23, Bodl. (Oxford) ; 

8= « Junius 24, Bodl. 

T= " Trinity College, Cambridge ; 

U = « Ashmole 328, Bodl. (Oxford) ; 

W = " Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, L. 12 ; 
"Y" __ K it u a a K 2 • 

Y = " Cathedral at York ; 

Z= " Lambeth 489; 

h = Blickling Homilies, ed. Morris, London, 1880. 



LIFE, 



A few well-established facts present all that is known of the 
life of Wulfstan. Rev. W. R. Dixon, Lives of the Archbishops 
of York, London, 1863, I, 131 ff., has collected some of these 
scattered references and woven them into a consecutive account. 
By the earliest mention of Wulfstan's name we learn of his eleva- 
tion to the archiepiscopate of York and the see of Worcester in 
1002, the year of the " Massacre of St. Brice." Florence of 
Worcester, I, 156, speaking of Adulf, says : et non multo post, id 
est secundo nonas Maii (6 Maii) ipse defunctus, in ecclesia Sanctse 



A Study of Wulf starts Homilies: their Style and Sources. 13 

Marise Wigornise est sepultus ; cui successit abbas Wlstanus. 1 
Though Florence and the other authorities cited refer to Wulfstan 
at the time of his elevation as abbas, still his signature, affixed to 
the charters of the time, shows that he was Bishop of London. 2 
A charter granted by iEthelred in the year 1001 (Cod. Dipl., in, 
318) is signed : 

-f- Ego Wlstan Londoniensis 

secelesise episcopus consigillavi. 

In the year 1002 (Cod. Dipl, in, 322) we find a charter signed : 

-f- Ego Uulfstan episcopus adsignavi. 

In the same year, 1002, Wulfstan signs himself Archbishop : 

-j- Ego Wulfstan Eboracensis 

archiepiscopus coelesti signo adfui. 

The elevation of Wulfstan is not mentioned in the Anglo-Saxon 
Chronicle, which, however, records the death of his predecessor. 

We find Wulfstan mentioned by Symeon of Durham 3 as wit- 
nessing iEthelred's gift of Darlington to St. Cuthbert ; and from 
the Annals of Burton we learn that he was present, in 1004, 
when xEthelred confirmed the foundation of Burton Abbey. 4 
The last battle in the struggle between Cnut and Edmund Iron- 
side was fought at Assandun (1016) ; in the year 1020 Cnut 
commemorated his victory by rearing a church on the spot. At 
the consecration exercises Wulfstan was the chief ecclesiastical 
figure. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, year 1020, says : " and on 
bisurn geare se cyng f6r to Assandune and Wulfstan arcebiscop 
and Durkil and manega bisceopas mid heorn and gehalgodon pset 

1 Cf. also Symeon of Durham, n, 138 ; Roger of Wendover, i, 435 ; Roger of 
Hoveden (Savile), 429; Rer. Ang. Script. (Chronica de Mailros), I, 153. 

2 Freeman, i, 342, note ; Wanley, Catalogue, p. 140. 

3 Symeon of Durham, i, 83 : Inter quos unus ex nobilibus vocabulo Styr, filius 
Ulfi, a rege Ethelredo impetravit, ut Dearningtum cum suis appendiciis sancto 
Cuthberto donaret ; atque coram rege, et prsesentibus archiepiscopo Eboracensi 
Wulstano et episcopo Dunhelmensi Aldhuno et aliis principalibus viris qui cum 
rege Eboracum convenerant, ita hoc donum firmatum est, ut qui sancto Cuthberto 
anferret seterno anathemate damnaretur. 

* Annals of Burton (Gale), in, 246. 



14 A Study of Wulfstan' s Homilies : their Style and Sources. 

mynster set Assandune." 1 In the same year Living, Archbishop 
of Canterbury, died, and one of the MSS. of the Chronicle, Cott. 
Domit., A. vin, records the fact that Wulfstan consecrated his 
successor: "And Living arcebiscop forSferde and iEgelnoft rnunec 
and decanus set Cristes cyrican was bses ylcan geares har gehadod 
to arcebiscop from Wulfstane arcebiscop." 2 

Wulfstan died at York, May 28, 1023. This fact is recorded 
in two MSS. of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, Bodl. Laud 636, and 
Cott. Domit., A. vin : " Her forftferde Wulfstan arcebiscop and 
feng iElfric to." For the fact that he was buried at Ely we have 
the testimony of Florence of Worcester 3 and Roger of Hoveden. 



SKETCH OF THE TIMES. 

Since the best known homily of the "Wulfstan collection deals 
with the evils which befell the English through the Danish 
invasions, a short sketch of the period in which these invasions 
occurred is given. 

Freeman {History of Norman Conquest, i, 44-45) divides the 
incursions of the Danes into three periods : 

1. Period of simple plunder (787-855). 

2. Period of settlement (855-897). 

3. Period of political conquest (980-1016). 

It was during the last period that Wulfstan lived, and this, 
consequently, is the one with which we are here concerned. 

With the beginning of iEthelred's reign came the trouble-which 
was to follow him all the days of his life. Swend, the Dane, and 
Olaf, the Norwegian, had set their eyes on England, and from 
their hands the country was destined to suffer untold miseries. 

1 Cf. Florence of Worcester, I, 183; Koger of Hoveden (Savile), 437. 

2 Freeman, History of Norman Conquest, i, 471, note, thinks it was during this 
vacancy — from the death of Living to the consecration of iEthelnoth — that 
Wulfstan dedicated the church at Assandun. 

3 Florence of Worcester, i, 183 : Wlstanus, Eboracensium archiepiscopus, 
Eboraci, quinto Kal. Junii (28 Maii), feria tertia, defungitur, sed corpus ejus 
Heli defertur, et ibi sepulitur. Cf. Roger of Hoveden (Savile), 437 ; Historia 
Eliends (Gale), c. xxix. 



A Study of Wulj 'start's Homilies: their Style and Sources. 15 

If, in the beginning, iEthelred had possessed the spirit of the 
brave ealdorman, Brihtnoth, all might have been well ; but the 
same year which saw the battle of Maldon (991) saw also the 
cowardly purchase of peace from the invaders by the king. 

To the cowardice of the king was added the treachery of his 
counsellors. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, year 992, records the 
desertion of Ealdorman iElfric, whom the king had made one of 
the commanders of his fleet : " Da sende se ealdorman JElfric and 
het warnian }>one here, and J?a on ];sere nihte ]>e hy on ]>one dseig 
togsedere f6n scealdon, J?an sceoc he on niht from J^sere fyrde him 
sylfum to myclum bysmore." 

Speaking of this treachery, Freeman (ib., I, 307) says : " We 
have now reached the first of that long series of utterly inex- 
plicable treasons, which were, in a way as utterly inexplicable, 
invariably forgiven by those against whom they were wrought. 
One can understand the wretched policy which buys off an enemy, 
or the sheer cowardice which flies from an enemy. Contemptible 
as both of them are, neither of them implies any deliberate 
treachery or any positive perversion of heart. But what human 
motive could induce an English Ealdorman deliberately to betray 
his country to the heathen invaders? Yet so to do now becomes 
the regular course on the part of the royal favorites, a class who 
form a strange contrast to the brave men, chiefs and people alike, 
whose patriotic efforts were so often thwarted by them." 

In 994 the combined forces of Swend and Olaf besieged 
London. Let the Chronicle tell how the city was saved and how 
the disappointed besiegers wreaked their vengeance on the sur- 
rounding country : " ac hi ]?8er geferdon maran hearm and yfel 
|;onne hi sefre wendon |?set him senig buruhwaru gedon sceolde. 
Ac seo halige Godes modor on ]>arn dsege hire mildheortnesse ]?sere 
buruhwsere gecydde and hi ahredde wi]? heora feondum, and hi 
]?anone ferdon, and worhton ]>2&t mseste yfel pe sefre seni here 
gedon meahte, on bsernette and heregunge and on manslihtum, 
seg-Ser ge be ]>sem sae riman and on Eastseaxum and on Kent- 
lande and on SuSseaxum and on Hamtunscire, and set neaxtan 
namon him hors and ridon him swa wide swa hi woldan, and 
unasecgendlice yfel wyrcgende wseron." Under these distressing 
circumstances iEthelred and his witan met and decided — to pur- 



16 A Study of Wuff start's Homilies: their Style and Sources. 

chase peace again. This was the last invasion of Olaf, and we 
hear no more of Swend till the blood of his slain countrymen 
cried out to him for revenge. 

It was in 1002 that the king commanded a massacre of all the 
Danes in England, " forSam," says the Chronicle, " barn cyninge 
wses gecyd, bset hi woldan hine besyrwan set his life, and sibban 
ealle his witan, and habban sibban his rice." Then came Swend. 
Exeter was an easy prey through the treachery of Hugh, the 
Frenchman, Queen Emma's reeve. 1 To oppose the devastating 
march of Swend, a force was gathered, and we find, strange to 
say, it was led by Ealdorman iElfric, the traitor. The Chronicle's 
account of his treachery, through which the enemy were allowed 
to escape without a battle, is worth quoting : " Da sceolde be 
ealdorman iElfric lsedan ba fyrde, ac he teah ba forS his ealdan 
wrencas. Sona swa hi weeron swa gehende, J?set aegfter here on 
ofterne hawede, ba gebrsed he hine seocne, and ongann hine brecan 
to spiwenne, and cwseft bast he gesicled waare, and swa bset folc 
becyrde bset he laedan sceolde, swa hit gecweden is, Donne se 
heretoga wacaft, bonne is eall se here swifte gehindrad." 

To add to the distress of the people there was, in 1005, a 
famine so terrible that no man remembered a worse. 

The next year another army came plundering. This time Kent 
and Sussex suffered. The king gathered an army for defense, but 
it melted away without striking a blow. Observe the bitter sar- 
casm (Freeman, ib., I, 360) of the Chronicle: "Ac for eallum 
bissurn se here ferde swa he sylf wolde, and seo fyrdung dyde 
bsere landleode selcre hearm, bset him nafter ne dohte ne inghere ne 
uthere. Da hit winter lsehte, ba ferde com ba ofer ba See Martines 
rnsessan to his frrSstole Wihtlande, and tylode him bser aaghwaar 
|?89s hi behofedon, and ]>& to ]?am middan wintran eodan him to 
heora gearwan feorme, ut |>uruh Hamtunscire into Bearrucscire to 
Readingon, and hi a dydon heora ealdan gewunan, atendon hiora 
herebeacon swa hi ferdon." 

The only effective resistance was tribute, and this was paid 
again in 1007. This gained a respite of two years, which was 
employed in collecting a great fleet. But even this effort availed 

l A. S. Chron. (1003) : Her was Exacester tobrocen hiruh kme Frenciscan cearl 
Hugan, W seo hlsefdige hire hsefde geset to gerefan. 



A Study of Wulj 'start's Homilies: their Style and Sources. 17 

nothing. A certain WulfncS, one of the ship-commanders, was 
accused of some crime, and the king ordered him to be seized. 
He fled with twenty ships, and the eighty which were sent to 
bring him back were destroyed in a storm. Though this loss 
must have been comparatively small, it had a terribly demoral- 
izing effect on the ships which were left. The consternation is 
well described in the Chronicle (1009) : " Da pis pus cu"S wses to 
pam oSrum scipum pser se cyng wses, hu pa oftre geferdon, hit 
wses pa swilc hit eall rsedleas wsere, and ferde se cyng him ham, 
and pa ealdormen and pa heahwitan, and forleton pa scipu pus 
leohtlice, and pset folc pa, pset on pam scipon wseron, fercodon 
eft to Lundene, and leton ealles peodscypes geswinc pus leohtlice 
forwurSan, and nses se sige na betere pe eall Angelcyn to hopode." 

The coming of Thurkill's fleet, the form in which the evil 
next took shape, gave occasion for more treachery ; again the 
traitor was an ealdorman, Eadric, more wily, if possible, than 
Ealdorman ^Elfric. On a certain occasion the king was waiting 
to intercept the enemy, who were returning to their ships laden 
with booty, when Ealdorman Eadric, by some means not men- 
tioned, interfered and prevented an attack (Chron., 1010): "and 
eall folc gearu wses him on to fonne, ac hit wses puruh Eadric 
ealdorman gelet, swa hit gyt sefre wses." 

The year which followed (1010) was the most terrible of all. 
After a brave but unsuccessful effort of resistance by Ulfcytel, a 
feeling of general helplessness seems to have settled down upon 
the people. Sixteen shires were ravaged. Efforts of defense were 
futile (Chron., 1010): "and ponne hi (Danes) to scipon ferdon, 
ponne sceolde fyrd ut eft ongean pset hi up woldan, ponne ferde 
seo fyrd ham, and ponne hi wseron be easton, ponne heold man 
fyrde be westan, and ponne hi wseron be supan, ponne wses ure 
fyrd be norSan." Then came despair and selfishness (Freeman, 
I, 346; Chron. } 1010): "JEt nextan nses nan heafodman pset fyrde 
gederian wolde, ac selc fleah swa he msest mihte, ne furSon nan 
scir nolde oftre gelsestan set nextan." 

There was nothing left for the king to do but to fall back on 

his old expedient of buying peace. This time an enormous price 

was set, £48,000 ; and, as it could not be paid till the next year, 

the enemy continued its depredations. Canterbury was seized, and, 

2 



18 A Study of Wulfstan's Homilies: their Style and Sources. 

through the treachery of iElfmser, fell. Archbishop iElfheah was 
carried off and held for several months, till his captors, incensed 
by his refusal to ransom his life, in a fit of drunken rage, cruelly 
put him to death (May 19, 1012). 

When Swend came with his son Cnut in the next year, he 
sailed up the Humber and received the submission of all the 
country north of Watling Street. Turning to the South he was 
accepted as " full king." Then followed the flight of JEthelred 
to Normandy ; his return on the death of Cnut ; his own death in 
1016. Afterwards came the short, sharp struggle between Cnut 
and Edmund Ironside, the division of the kingdom, and the 
mysterious death of Edmund. 

The line of Cerdic was broken ; a Daue ruled all England. 



REFLECTION OF THE TIMES IN HOMILY XXXIII. 1 

This homily, while possessing the general features of Wulfstan's 
style, exhibits at the same time marked differences from the other 
accepted homilies. In its half-poetical, highly emotional nature 
it affords us the chief illustration of Wulfstan's peculiar character- 
istics of style; but the difference to be noted here is the fact that it 
deals with secular events. It is an address to the English people ; 
a direct outgrowth of the calamities which oppressed them. It is 
not difficult to read between the lines. When Wulfstan tells us 
(156 9 ) that " lytle getrywSa wseron mid mannum, \eah hi wel 
spcecan," or (160 6 ) "her syn on lande ungetrywSa micle for gode 
and for worulde, and eac her syn on earde on mistlice wisan 
hlafordswican manege," there is little doubt that he had in mind 
the traitors iElfric, Eadric, and JElfmser, with many others, pos- 
sibly, whose names we do not know. The memory of the sack of 
Canterbury and the murder of iElfheah, with other occurrences of 
like nature, doubtless inspired such passages as 158 7 , "godes hus 
syndon to clsene berypte ealdra gerihta and in nan bestrypte selcra 
gerysena, and godcunde hadas waeron nu lange swyfte forsawene." 
In 158 12 , " ut of J>isan earde wide gesealde swyfte unforworhte 

1 Napier, Wulfstan, Sammlung der ihm zugeschriebenen Homilien, etc. Berlin, 1883. 



A Study of Wulfstan' s Homilies: their Style and Sources. 19 

fremdum to gewealde," we have mention of an evil which was so 
common as to call forth legal prohibition. 

The famine of the year 1005 was only the most terrible, pos- 
sibly, of many others ; 159 8 , " ac wses here and hunger ... on ge- 
welhwylcon ende; 159 12 , " us unwedera for oft weoldan unwsestma." 

We have in this homily, in addition, some interesting facts 
touching the social condition of the country. The relationship 
(162 7 ) of thrall and thane is reversed; (163 l ) a thrall often 
binds a thane who was formerly his master and forces him into 
thralldom. The people have become cowards; (162 15 ) in battle 
one Dane often puts to flight ten or more English ; (163 5 ) two or 
three seamen often drive a band of Christian men from sea to sea. 
Women are most outrageously insulted (162 20 , 161 5 , note). The 
greatest evil known to a Germanic people has befallen the English 
— one member of the family will not protect another; (159 15 , 161 6 ) 
brother will not protect brother, a father will not protect his child, 
nor a child his own father. The sins of the people are summed up 
in the simple but scathing words of the preacher (164 16 ): " menn 
scamaft for g6dan dsedan swyftor ];onne for misdsedan." 



STYLE. 

Vocabulary. 

A comparison of the vocabulary of Wulfstan with that of iElfric 
and the Blickling homilist shows that he is not so versatile as the 
former nor so poetic as the latter. In making such a comparison 
we should remember, however, that Wulfstan's limited range of 
subjects does not offer him the opportunity for the display of 
words found by iElfric in a great variety of subjects. Wulfstan 
is strongest in expression when setting forth the sins of the 
people, exhibiting a vigor and vividness not found in the other 
homilists. His accumulation of synonyms in detailing the variety 
and enormity of the prevalent crimes shows that in this variety 
of expression he is unsurpassed. His words have generally the 
plain, unfigurative meaning. His force lies in using words of 
every-day life, words with which his people are familiar. 



20 A Study of Wulfstan's Homilies : their Style and Sources. 

While his vocabulary is not so literary as JElfric's, it is more 
concrete. A marked characteristic of Wulfstan's vocabulary is 
found in the great number of words of a distinctly legal coloring. 

Sentences. 

In examining Wulfstan's sentences, one is struck by the long 
lists of words, joined usually by alliteration or end-rhyme. 163 17 : 
. . . ac wear~5 }?es J>eodscipe . . . swySe forsyngod Jmrh nisenig- 
fealde synna and }?urh fela rnisdaeda : jnirh rnorSdseda and }>urh 
mandseda, jmrh gitsunga and Jmrh gifernessa, Jmrh stala and 
]mrh strudunga, j^urh mansylena and Jmrh hse^ene unsida, purh 
swicdomas and Jrnrh searacrseftas, )nirh lahbrycas and }mrh 
seswicas, ]?urh msegrsesas and jmrh manslihtas, purh hadbrycas 
and purh sewbrycas, purh sibblegeru and purh mistlice forligru. 
and eac syndon wide, swa we ser cwsedan, purh aftbryeas and 
purh wedbrycas and purh mistlice leasunga forloren and forlogen 
ma, ponne scolde, and freolsbricas and fsestenbricas wide geworhte 
oft and gelome. 

26 14 : 'Syder sculan mannslagan, and ISider sculan manswican ; 
pider sculan sewbrecan, and pa fulan forlegenan ; pider sculan 
mansworan and morSwyrhtau ; "Sider sculan gitseras, ryperas and 
reaferas and woruldstruderas ; $ider sculan peofas and peodscaftan ; 
"Syder sculon wiccan and wigleras, . . . 

Cf. 159 7 ; 163 11 ; 165 10 , note; 1 66 3 , note; 114 12 ; 115 8 . 

Wulfstan's sentences do not exhibit the same painstaking care 
which one remarks in the sentences of iElfric. The following is 
one of many of like structure showing a loose coordinative style. 
8 6 : . . . pa hreas he of heofonum and eall, paet him hyrde, and hy 
gewurdan of englum to deofluni gewordene, and heom wearS hyll 
gegearwod, and hi peer wunja'S on ecan forwyrde. 

The sentences are often closed with a short clause expressing 
censure or warning ; sometimes it is a comment on what precedes. 

9 14 : and of heom twam is eall mancynn cumen. 

14 8 : swa forS hy wseron wift god pa forworhte. 

17 18 : and hit sona setter psem ealswa aeode. 

25 1 : and pas sefre senig ende ne cymft. 

25 14 : buton hit ser geandet and gebet wsere. 



A Study of Wulf stan's Homilies : their Style and Sources. 21 

111 15 : gif we sylfe ]>ses geearnjan wyllaS. 

112 11 : butan he hit ser gebete. 

115 4 : butan he geswican and J>e deoppor gebetan. 

157 6 : gyf hit sceal heonanfoi"S godjende wurjjan. 

157 9 : gif man ]>set fyr sceal to ahte acwsencan. 

160 5 : do mare, gyf he rasege. 

160 12 : and segfter is geworden on ]?isan earde. 

161 4 : and eal \>set is gode la^S. 

161 8 : and eal j^set syndon micle and egeslice dseda. 

163 7 : gyf we on eornost senige cn^an ofrSon we woldan ariht 
understand an. 

168 l6 : butan he gewende )>e ra]?or to his drihtne. 

169 3 : butan he geswice. 

The principle of balance is used effectively. The author knew 
well the aid afforded by such a construction to interpretation and 
memory, as well as the emphasis lent to the balanced parts. Balance 
is often combined with antithesis, an additional element of emphasis ; 
and in many cases the effect is heightened by alliteration. Some 
of the more striking examples of balance are : 

19 14 : ]?a, J>e godes willan her wyrcaft, J>a sculan J^onne habban 
ece blisse on heofona rice, and ]?a, }>e her nu deofle fyliga'S, and his 
unlarum, ]>a sculon J>onne mid deofle faran on ece forwryd helle 
wites. 

21 2 : ac hu mseg ponne aefre senig man hine inweardlice to gode 
gebiddan, buton he inwerdlice on god hsebbe rihtne geleafan. 

24 20 : forSam, ealswa |?a godan habbaft ece Itf on myrhfte, swa 
habba'S f?a yfelan and |?a forwyrhtan ece lif on yrm$e. 

25 x : ]?am yrmingan wsere micle betere, gif hit beon mihte, ]>9et 
hi swa deade wa3ron, J?set hy "8a yrnrSa leng nsefdan, |?onne hi swa 
lyf hsefdon, ]>eet hi )>olja3 ece yrm^e. 

157 3 : forSarn mid miclan earnungan we geearnodon J>a yrmSa, 
]>e us on sittaft, and mid swy$e miclan earnungan we ]>a bote 
motan set gode gersecan. 

158 4 : forSarn godes gerihta wanedan nu lange innan ]>ysse 
)>eode on seghwylcum ende, and folclaga wyrsedan ealles to swyiSe. 

160 5 : forSam her syn on lande ungetrywSa micle for gode 
and for wornlde, and eac her syn on earde on mistlice wisan 
hlafordswican manege. 



22 A Study of Wulf stem's Homilies : their Style and Sowces. 

162 8 : gyf ]>rael ]?sene J?egen fullice afylle, liege segylde ealre his 
rnsegfte ; and gyf se ]>egen ]>sene prsel, ]>e he ser ahte, fullice afylle, 
gylde J>egengylde. 

163 10 : we him gyldaft singallice, and hy us hynaft daeghwamlice. 

168 10 : ac \y hit is J>e wyrse wide on earde, ]>e man oft herede, 
]>set man scolde hyrwan, and to for<$ hyrwde, ]?get man scolde 
herigean, and layette to swyfte ]?set man scolde lufjan. Cf. 165 2 . 

169 4 : la, riht is, l>set we lufjan J>a, ]>e god lufjan, and hetelice 
ascunjan ]>a, )>e god grsemjan . . . ];>e lses ];e we habban senigne 
gemanan nu heora synna, and eft heora wita. 

Balance of clause or phrase : 

21 20 : Crist, ... is segfter ge soft god on godcundnesse ge eac 
soft man J?urh p>a menniscnesse, ]>e he underfeng ]mrh his modor 
Sea Marian for ealles mancynnes neode and for ealles middaneardes 
alysednesse. 

23 16 : ac he ahredde us |?urh his deaj? of ecan deaipe and gerymde 
us weg to ecan life, we agan nu ge weald hwrefter we geearnjan 
willan ]>e ece lif and &ce blisse, |>e ecne deaj? and endelease yrrnfte. 

110 8 : Leofan men, for ure ealra p>earfe Crist com on |>is Jif and 
for ure neode dea]> ]?rowode. 

157 10 : and my eel is nyd]?earf manna gehwylcum ]>set he godes 
lage gyme heonanforft georne, and godes gerihta mid rihte gelaeste. 

Many repetitions are found in the homilies. By consulting p. 
32 ff. it will be seen that many of the repeated passages are found 
in the Laws. These passages were known to be familiar to the 
people, and are thus frequently used as a means for catching the 
popular ear. Wulfstan did not avoid repetition. He was pre- 
eminently a popular preacher, his great object being to gain and 
hold the attention of his hearers. 

Repetition in same homily : 

Homily II. 

10 4 : J>set hy to gode nsefdon na}>er ne lufe ne ege, ac on selce 
wisan hy ]>urh heora synna god to J^am swyfte gegremedon, ];aet he 
let set nehstan fl6d gan ofer ealne middangeard . . . 

13 15 : ]>set hi nsefdon to gode nafter ne lufe ne ege, swa swa hy 
scoldan, ac ]?urh deofles lare unriht lufedon ealles to swyfte, and set 



A Study of Wulj "start's Homilies : their Style and Sources. 23 

nyhstan ]>set folc $a wear$ swa wrS god forworht, ]?set he let faran 
hse]>ene here . . . 

Homily XXXIII. 

156 2 : and |>y hit is on worulde a, swa leng swa wyrse. 
168 10 : ac ]>y hit is ]>e wyrse wide on earde. 

156 14 : to wide gynd ealle }>as fteode. 
160 15 : wide gynd ]>as ]?eode. 

157 7 : la hwset, we witan ful georne . . . 
161 6 : Eac we witan ful georne . . . 
163 16 : forSam we witan ful georne . . . 

157 18 : godes hus inne and ute clsene berypte. 
158 8 : and godes hus syndon to clsene berypte. 

159 7 : ne dohte hit nu lange inne ne ute, ac wses here and 
hunger, bryne and blodgyte on gehwylcon ende oft and gelome, . . . 

162 13 : ne dohte hit nu lange inne ne ute, ac wses here and hete 
on gewelhwilcum ende oft and gelome. 

160 5 : forSam her syn on lande ungetrywfta micle for gode and 
for worulde, and eac her syn on earde on mistlice wisan hlaford- 
swican manege, and ealra mo3st hlafordswice se br<S on worulde J?set 
man his hlafordes saule beswice ; and ful mycel hlafordswice eac 
bi)> on worulde, ]?set man his hlaford of life forrsede o|>}>on of 
lande lifjende drife ; and segfter is geworden on J;isan earde ; . . . 
.ZE}>elred man drsefde ut of his earde. 

159 13 : forftam on Jnsan earde wses . . . 

164 10 : and eac her syn on earde . . . 

158 12 : and ut of ]?isan earde wide gesealde . . . 
161 3 : man gesealde ut of jnsan earde . . . 

167 15 : ... and from unrihte gebugan to rihte . . . 

168 10 : . . . |>set man riht healde and unriht alsete. Cf. 166 4 . 

Repetition in different homilies : 

22 20 : hine man band and hine man swang, and set nyhstan on 
rode aheng and him segSer ]>urhdraf mid isenum nseglum ge fet ge 
handa . . . 

110 14 : |?a he let hine sylfne bindan and swingan and on rode 
ahdn and him segfter }>urhdrifan mid isenum nseglum ge fet ge 
handa . . . 



24 A Study of Wulfstan' s Homilies : their Style and Sources. 

165 2 : and J?urh ]>set ]>e man swa de]>, pset man eal hyrweft, ]>set 
man scolde herjan, and to for$ laj>et J^set man scolde lufjan. 

168 u : ac \>y hit is ]^e wyrse wide on earde, )>e man oft herede, 
J>set man scolde hyrwan, and to forS hyrwde, J?aet man scolde 
herigean, and layette to swySe J?set man scolde lufjan. 

18 2 : and ])eet was swutol |>8es Jmddan dseges, ]?a he of dea'Se 
aras, ]?a he cjdde, ]?set he ser mihte ful eafte deaft forbugan, gyf 
he swa wolde ; ac he alysde us J>urh his deaj? of £can dea]?e and 
geswutelode mid his seriste, ]^set he haefS us gerymed rihtne weg 
to ecan life . . . 

23 12 : and j^ses ]>riddan da3ges of dea]?e aras and maenige eac 
araerde, }>e lange aer deade wseron. }>a he geswutelode, past he ah 
seg'Ser geweald ge lifes ge deaj>es, and eac }>aer waes |>a swytol, }>eet 
he aer mihte wi}> dea]? gebeorgan and dea)> forbugan, gyf he swa 
wolde. ac he ahredde us Jmrh his deaft of ecan dea];e and gerymde 
us w6g to ecan life. 

26 4 -27 3 is almost identical with 1 14 3 -115 4 . 

Figures of Speech. 

As may be seen from the extracts already given, Wulfstan uses 
freely and forcibly alliteration and assonance. Some examples of 
rime and kenning are found. It is a remarkable fact that he uses 
practically no tropes or similes. His famous homily xxxiii, con- 
sidered one of the most figurative bits of Anglo-Saxon prose, is 
entirely lacking in such figures. Examples of such Word Figures 
as polyptoton and paregmenon, and Figures of Repetition, as ana- 
phora and dilogy, appear. 

Illustrations of these figures will appear in a work, soon to be 
published, on Tropes and Figures in Anglo-Saxon Prose, by J. W. 
Tupper, Ph. D. (J. H. U.), who has kindly allowed me to consult 
his work in manuscript. 

Clearness. 

One feels in the homilies of Wulfstan a constant striving after 
clearness. That the author is not always successful in bringing 
about this result is due to no lack of effort. Sometimes the very 
means by which he endeavors to promote clearness produces an 



A Study of Wulfstan's Homilies: their Style and Sources. 25 

opposite effect. His desire, however, seems to be not only to 
make it possible to understand him, but to make it impossible to 
misunderstand him. 

If an expression is used which might possibly be misunder- 
stood, he frequently adds a simpler, more concrete one, introduced 
by "]>aet is." 

7 16 : and on fruman he gelogode on |>sere heofonlican gesceafte, 
\>cet is, on heofona rice, engla weredu mycle and msere. 

109 7 : his wylla is pset we aa sef'ter ure agenre ]?earfe geornlice 
winnan and J?set geearnjan, J>eet we to geladode syn, ]>cet is, heofona 
rice. 

22 I5 : he hselde blinde and deafe and dumbe and mistlice gebro- 
code and arserde maenigne man of dea]?e and set nyhstan, let on 
him sylfum J?set inseste wundor gewurSan, ]>Q3t is, ]>cet he gepafode, 
swa he sylf wolde, J?set hine man to dea]>e forrsedde . . . 

26 1 : ac ]?ser gewyr<5 Jnirh godes mihte ra'Se toscaden ]?set wered 
on twa, and sculan J>a forwyrhtan, ]?e her on life gode noldon 
hyran, ac deofle fyligdon, ponne eac habban, ];set hy ser gecuron ; 
\ozt is, \azt hy ]>onne sculon to helle faran. 

27 10 : eala, eala, gesselig bi}> J?set wered, ]>e }>onne on domesdsege 
asyndred wyrS fram deofles gemanan ; \azt syn ]>a gesceligan, ]>e 
god lufja-S and his bebodu gehealda]?. 

29 4 : and senig man o'Srum ne b£ode butan riht : \o& is, p>set 
gehwa oSrum beode, j?set he wille j^set man him beode. 

109 u : utan . . . geSencan, hwset we behetan, J?a we fulluht 
underfengan, oSSon )>a, ]>e set fulluhte ure foresprecan wseran, \azt 
is, |>set we woldon a god lufan. 

113 3 : utan . . . gelsestan blijnirn mode gode ]>a gerihta, ]>e him 
to gebyrjan, ];set is, se teo}>a dsel ealra J?sera }>inga . . . Cf. 113 10 . 

A further illustration of Wulfstan's striving after clearness is 
seen in the frequent use of \ati clauses. 

10 2 : and sySiSan aa swa heora ofsprirjges and mancynnes mare 
wearS, swa deofol ma and ma manna forlserde and getihte to 
heora agenre un}>earfe swa set nyhstan, \ozt hy to gode nsefdon 
na)>er ne lufe ne ege, ac on selce wisan hy Jmrh heora synna god to 
]>am swyfte gegremedon, \ozt he let sat nehstan flod gan ofer ealne 
middaneard and adrencan eal, ]?set on worulde wses butan |?am, J>e 
on ]>sere earce wseron, \azt was J>set an scyj;, ]>e godd sylf gedihte 



26 A Study of WulfstarCs Homilies : their Style and Sources. 

Noe to wyrcanne, and on p>am anum scype wear$ genered se g6da 
man N6e and his p>ry suna and heora wif. eall, )>cet sefre raanncynnes 
elles wses, eall hit adranc, and eall \mt nn is, eall hit com of j^am 
mannum ]>e on J>sere arce generede wseron : and ]>&, syftftan ]>aet was, 
\cei se flod gesette and Noe and his suna landes geweald ahtan, hy 
gestryndan fela bearua, and of heora ofsprincge com, \od eft wearS 
folces unlytel. 

8 2 : J>a wear<5 j>Eer an J?sera engla swa scinende and swa beorht 
and swa wlitig, ]>cet se wses Lucifer generaned. ]>a Jmhte him \o& 
he mihte beon J^ses efengelica ]>e hine gescop and geworhte ; and, 
sona swa he Jmrh ofermodignysse )?8et ge^ohte, j?a hreas he of 
heofonum and eall, ]?set hira hyrde, and hy gewurdan of englum 
to deoflum gewordene, and heom wearS hyll gegearwod, and hi 
l^ser wunjaft on ecan forwyrde. setter J)ara gescop god a3lmihtig 
a3nne man of eor)?au, \ad was Adam, and of Adames anum ribbe 
he gescop him wif to gemacan, se wses Eua genamod ; and to 
J>am hy gesceop god selmihtig, ]>cet hy and heora ofspring scoldan 
gefyllan and gemsenigfyldan, ]>cet on heofonum gewanad wses, \a& 
waes ungerim, ]>cet }>33non ]>urh deofles ofermodignesse into helle 
behreas. 

The vividness and directness of Wulfstan's style is produced 
largely by the use of concrete statements. In homily xxxiii we 
are left in no doubt as to the exact sins which have brought so 
much sorrow and destruction upon the land ; and the evils which 
oppressed the people are detailed in the plainest terms. Abstract 
statements are often followed by concrete examples. This is well 
illustrated by the heaping of terms already mentioned. 

163 10 : we him gyldaft singallice, and hy us hynaft daeghwam- 
lice; hy hergjaft and heawaft, bsendaft and bismrja'S, rypaft and 
reafja'S and to sctye lseda'S. 

114 9 : nis se man on life, J?e areccan maege ealle J>a yrmfta, )>e se 
gebidan sceal, se ]>e on J>a.witu ealles behreoseft : and hit is ealles 
]>e wyrse, )>e his aenig ende ne cymft aefre to worulde. ftider sculan 
mannslagan, etc. Cf. p. 20. 

115 6 : Utan gecyrran georne fram synnum and god biddan 
inweardre heortan, ]>aet he us gebeorge wr§ j?one egsan. Utan 
forfleon geornlice man and mor)?or, etc. 

Wulfstan is more concrete in expression than zElfric. 



A Study of Wulfstan , s Homilies : their Style and Sources. 27 

iElfric's Sermo de Initio Creaturce (Thorpe, Homilies of the 
Anglo-Saxon Church, vol. I, 8) treats the same subject that a 
part of Wulfstan's homily n treats. 

-ZElfric, 16 30 : pa nam he" (Devil) micelne graman and andan to 
pam rnannum, and smeade hu h6 hi fordon mihte. 

Wulfstan, 9 4 : pa wses him (Devil) pset in myclan andan, ongann 
pa beswicau and gelseran, pset se mann abrsec godes gebod. 

iElfric, 20 21 : pa wearS pa hrsedlice micel mennisc geweaxen, 
and wseron swifte manega on yfel awende, and gegremodon God 
mid mislicum leahtrum, and swybost mid forligere. Da wear's 
God to pan swifte gegremod purh manna mandseda pset he cwseft 
pset him ofSuhte pset h§ sefre mancynn gesceop. 

Wulfstan, 9 15 : heora bearna an gedyde syS^San eac purh deofles 
lare deoflice dsede, ]>wt ivces Cain; he ofsloh Abel, his agenne 
bropor, and pa wses godes yrre purh pa dsede ofer eorSan yfele 
geniwod. and syfrSan aa, swa heora ofspringes and mancynnes 
mare wear<5, swa deofol ma and ma manna forlserde and getihte 
to heora agenre unpearfe swa set nyhstan, past hy to gode nsefdon 
naper ne lufe ne ege, ac on selce wisan hy purh heora synna god to 
pam swySe gegremedon, pset he let set nehstan flod gan ofer ealne 
middaneard and adrencan eal, peet on worulde wses butan pam, pe 
on ftsere earce wseron . . . 

iElfric, 24 16 : And pyssere mgegfte God sealde and gesette se. 

Wulfstan, 13 3 : and pam sylfan cynne god sylf sette lage and 
Moyse bebead, past he hy be psere lage wisjan scolde. se Moyses 
wses godes sylfes gespeca, and se Moyses wses eac pses rihtcynnes. 

iElfric, 24 33 : Seo halige moder Maria pa afedde past cild mid 
'micelre arwurpnesse and hit weox swa swa cSre cild doft, buton 
synne anum. 

Wulfstan, 16 17 : and swa on psere menniscnesse wses seo god- 
cundnes bediglod, past he purh eadmetta on his menniscnesse eal 
adreah, past mann dep, butan synne anre. pa he cild wses, eall 
hine man fedde, swa man oftre cild fede$ ; he Iseg on cradole 
bewunden, ealswa oftre cild dop, hine man bser, cS he sylf gan 
mihte. purh selc ping seo menniscnes adreah, past hyre to geby- 
rede : hine pyrste hwylum and hwilum hingrode, he set and dranc 
and segfter he polode ge cyle ge hsetan. 



28 A Study of Wulfstan's Homilies : their Style and Sources. 

This concreteness is another evidence of the author's popular 
tone ; it is his striving to reach the people ; to make them 
understand. 

Force. 

Wulfstan has an object beyond that of merely being understood ; 
he has a consuming desire to move men to action. This is best 
illustrated by homily xxxin. Here the preacher is in a condition 
of intense excitement. The constant ravaging of England by the 
Danes, the cowardly and criminal action of king and people, the 
despoiling and destruction of houses of God moved him to strong 
utterance. He deals in no euphemisms; sins are depicted in all 
their horrid ghastliness, and a dark picture it makes. 

His heaping of specific terms in pairs or triplets produces a 
forcible effect. 159 8 : here and hunger, bryne and blodgyte . . . 
stalu and cwalu, stric and steorfa, orfcwealm and unco'Su, hoi 
and hete . . . 13 5 8 : man and morSor and manslihtas, stala 
and strudunga and searacrseftas . . . 

An effect of swift movement, coupled with much strength, is 
produced by a long sentence, consisting of clause after clause, 
each setting forth a separate act of wrong-doing on the part of 
the people. 1 58 * : Ac so]? is, ]>set ic secge, J?earf is J?sere bote, 
forSam godes gerihta wanedan nu lange innan }>ysse }>eode on 
seghwylcum ende, and folclaga wyrsedan ealles to swy-Se, and 
halignessa syndon to grrSlease wide, and godes hus syndon to 
clsene berypte ealdra gerihta and innan bestrypte selcra gery- 
sena, and godcunde hadas wseron nu lange swifte forsawene and 
wydewan fornydde on unriht to ceorle and to rnaenige foryrmde 
and earme men beswicene and hreowlice besyrwde and ut of j^isan 
earde wide gesealde swy$e unforworhte fremdum to gewealde and 
cradolcild gcSeowode ]mrh wselhreowe unlaga for lytelre J>yfde, 
and freoriht fornumene and j^rselriht generwde and gelmesriht 
gewanode . . . 

In the following passage we have a similar effect, though the 
transition from one subject to another is not so rapid. 

162 13 : ne dohte hit nu lange inne ne ute, ac wses here and hete 
on gewelhwilcum ende oft and gelome, and Engle nu lange eal 
sigelease and to swyfte geyrgde \>uvh godes yrre, and flotmen swa 



A Study of Wulfstan's Homilies : their Style and Sources. 29 

strange J?urh godes J>afunge, ]^set oft on gefeohte an fesdS tyne and 
hwilum lses, hwilum ma eal for urum synnum. and oft tyne 
oSSe twelfe selc a3fter oftrum scendaS and tawjaft to bysmore ]>ses 
l^egnes cwenan and hvvilura his dohtor cS^e nydmagan, ]?ser he on 
locaft, )>e la3t hine sylfe rancne and ricne and genoh godne, Eer pset 
gewurde. and oft ]?rsel J>sene ]?egen, ]>e aer wses his hlaford, cnyt 
swySe fseste and wyrcS him to J^raele ];urh godes yrre. 

Wulfstan has devices for heightening the effect of his discourse. 
These devices are simple, and their occasional use would call forth 
no remark ; it is the frequency of their recurrence that gives them 
the prominence of being one of the most marked features of his 
style. 

One of these devices is the positive, assertive introduction to 
sentences. 

Homily II. 
7 n : Leofan men, ic bidde eow . . . 

Homily III. 

21 18 : Leofan menn, understanda]? swySe georne . . . 

23 20 : witodlice witan we motan . . . 

25 6 : eala, leofan menn, hwset, we georne geseojn 

Homily XIX. 
108 3 : Leofan men, understandaft . . . 

Homily XXXIII. 

156 4 : Leofan men, gecnawaft, ]?8et soft is . . . 
156 7 : understanda'S eac georne . . . 
157 7 : la hwaet, we witan ful georne . . . 
158 4 : Ac soS is, p>aet ic secge . . . 
161 6 : Eac we witan ful georne. 

Homily XXXIV. 

167 13 : Leofan men, utan understandan . . . 

1 68 4 : ac sop> is, ]>s&t ic secge, gyme, se j?e wille . . . 



30 A Study of Wulfstan's Homilies : their Style and Sources. 

169 4 : la, riht is . . . 

In homily xxxni sentences are often closed with such expres- 
sions as the following : 

159 2 : gecnawe, se ]>e cunne. Cf. 162 2 . 

160 5 : do mare, gyf he msege. 

161 5 : gelyfe, se ]>e wille. 

161 9 : understande, se ]>e wille. 

162 12 : understande, se ]>e cunne. 

Very characteristic of Wulfstan is the frequent use of the fol- 
lowing intensifying expressions : 

ealles to swySe, 158 6 ; 164 18 ; 14 \ to swySe, 156 8 ; 162 16 ; 
168 13 ; 112 8 . 

ealles to manige, 164 n ; 165 4 . to rasenige, 158"; 160 16 . to 
fela, 156 10 ; 160 15 ; 161 3 . 

swa georne, 156 u . ful georne, 157 7 ; 163 17 . georne, very often. 

ealles to gelorne, 157 15 . 

ealles to wide, 11 u ; 156 13 . to wide, 1 58 2 . 

a3tnyhstan, ll 3 ; 13 14 ; 14 1 ; 22 17 ; 22 20 . 

oft and gelome, 112 17 ; 159 9 ; 161 12 ; 162 13 ; 162 15 ; 164 9 . 

inne ne ute, 157 16 ; 159 8 ; 162 u . inne and ute, 157 18 . Cf. 
Napier, Diss., p. 12. 

Narration. 

The best illustration of Wulfstan's power of narration is found 
in homily u, this being a running account of events from the 
creation to the death of Christ. The movement is accelerated by 
the use of the most important facts only, these being selected with 
excellent judgment. 

In this homily there is no mention of the wonderful marvels con- 
nected with Mary and the Apostles; none of the symbolism which 
formed such a striking feature of the homiletic literature of the 
time ; none of the betacnung which is so characteristic of .ZElfric. 
A short abstract of homily n will show with what ease Wulfstan 
passes from one event to another. 

' God created heaven and earth and all creatures, and in the 
beginning established in heaven the host of Angels. One of 
these, Lucifer, became so bright and glorious that he thought he 
might be equal with his creator. When he thought this, he and 



A Study of Wulf stem's Homilies : their Style and Sources. 31 

those who obeyed him fell into hell. To repair the loss thus suffered 
God created Adam aud Eve. When the devil perceived for what 
purpose they had been created he became angry and sought to 
mislead them. Eve fell and through her, Adam ; so they were 
expelled from heaven and thrust into the world where they lived 
in sorrow. One of their children, Cain, slew his brother Abel, 
and on account of this sin God's anger was kindled on the earth. 
Through the machinations of the devil men grew worse and worse 
till, finally, they had for God neither love nor fear. Then God 
sent the flood, and all were destroyed except Noah and his three sons 
and their wives, from whom another race of men sprang. These 
the devil likewise deceived, and they forgot God. A heathen army 
was allowed to overrun the land, and the people were led away. 
After seventy years they were permitted to return home, and of 
their kin was born the blessed Mary, who became the mother of 
Christ. Christ was both divine and human, and suffered all that 
belongs to humanity. When he reached a suitable age he chose 
his disciples, and having instructed them himself, sent them into 
the world to teach the true faith. He manifested through his 
miracles that he was the son of God, and before his time came, 
foretold his disciples how he would suffer. He was betrayed by 
one of his disciples, and suffered death. The third day he arose, 
thus showing that he might have avoided death if he had so 
desired. After forty days he came from heaven with a host of 
angels, and by his return to heaven opened for us the way to 
eternal life. Thence he will come again to the judgment. We 
know that the judgment is approaching because we have seen 
many of the tokens which Christ said would come. Antichrist 
will come and after him the end of the world. Every man will 
receive the reward which he earned on earth. Let us love God 
and earn eternal joy.' 

There is little opportunity for judging Wulfstan's power of 
description. Homily xxxin is descriptive, in general, of the 
hopeless condition of the country. It should be mentioned of this 
homily that there is in it a distinct, well-sustained rhythm. One 
cannot escape the conclusion that there was a conscious effort to 
produce such an effect. This rhythmical element has been seized 
on by the defenders of the theory that Otfrid's verse was known 



32 A Study of Wulfstan's Homilies : their Style and Sources. 

and used in England, and Einenkel (Anglia, viii, Anz. 200 ff.) 
has arranged in this verse a portion of homily xxxiii. In the 
same volume of Anglia, Anz. 211 ff., Trautmann has arranged 
similarly other portions of the Wulfstan collection. The fact that 
we have other rhythmical homilies, iElfric's Lives of Saints, makes 
it possible that it was customary to use homilies in this form on 
certain solemn occasions. The rhythmical element doubtless made 
them particularly suitable for intonation in large cathedrals. 



RELATION OF THE ACCEPTED HOMILIES TO THE LAWS. 

A casual reading of the homilies discovers the fact that they 
follow closely, in many places, the Laws and Institutes. I give 
below the result of a comparison with the Laws of iEthelred and 
Cnut (Schmid), and the Institutes of Polity and Ecclesiastical Insti- 
tutes (Thorpe). 

Napier ( Tiber die Werhe des Altenglischen Erzbischofs Wulfstan) 
has called attention to several of the more striking agreements. 

Homily II. 1 

The opening lines of this homily, 6 l -7 10 , are the same as 11. 
328 27 -330 6 of the Institutes of Polity (Thorpe, n) with these 
differences : 

Inst., 328 33 : "swa hlude swa byme," not in Wulfstan; Wulf- 
stan, 7 7 : "godes," not in Institutes. (Napier, Tiber die Werhe, etc., 
p. 62.) 

Homily III. 

Thorpe, II, 330 B : TaeceS Wulfstan, 20 6 : Leofan men, 

cristenum mannum georne and do$, swa eow mycel p»earf is, 
gelome rihtne geleafau, and J>set understandaft, ]?set selc cristen 
hi cunnon heora cristendomes man ah micle }>earfe, J>set he his 
and heora fulluhtes gescead cristendomes gescead wite, and 
witan. ]?set he cunne rihtne geleafan 

rihtlice understandan. wac bi'S 
Jjset ge"Sanc on cristenum men, 
gyf he ne cann understandan 

Napier : Wulfstan, Sammlung der ihm zugeschriebenen Homilien, etc. 



A Study of Wulfstan's Homilies : their Style and Sources. 33 



Schmid, 266; Cnut, c. 22: 
And we laara'S, j^set aelc cristen 
man geleornige, |>aat he hum 
cunne rihtne geleafan ariht un- 
derstandan, and Pater Noster 
and Credan geleornian, for |>am 
mid ]>am o^rum sceal aelc cristen 
man hine t6 God gebiddan, and 
mid |?ani oSrum geswutelian 
rihtne geleafan. Crist sylf sang 
Pater noster aerest, and J?aet gebed 
his leorningc-cnihtumtaehte,and 
on ]>am godcundan gebede syn 
vii gebedu. Mid J?am se ]>e hit 
inweardlice gesingft, he geaer- 
enda'S t6 Gode sylfum ymbe 
aefre aelce ne6de, ]>e man beSearf, 
aVSor o$$e for "Sysum life o'S'Se 
for jjara toweardan. Ac hu maeg 
}>onne aefre aenig mann hine 
inweardlice t6 Gode gebiddan, 
butan he on God haebbe in- 
weardlice softe lufe and rihtne 
geleafan . . . 

Schmid, 234; JEthelred, c. 
42 : J>aet hi rihtne geledjian an- 
raedlice habban on ]>one so]>an 
God, \e is wealdand and wyrhta 
ealra gesceafta. 



Thorpe, n, 330 6 : ];aet is, |?aat 
hi ]?onne sculon to helle faran 
3 



)mrh rihtne geleafan ]>aene, |?e 
hine gescop and geworhte, and 
gyf he nele geleornjan, paet he 
cunne, ]?aat aelc cristen man 
hum cunnan sceal, pater noster 
and credan. forSarn mid |;am 
oftrum sceal aelc cristen man 
hine to gode gebiddan and mid 
)>am oftrum geswuteljan rihtne 
geleafan. Crist sylf sang pater 
noster aerest and ]>set gebedd his 
leorningcnihtum taehte ; and on 
]?am godcundan gebede syn vn. 
gebedu, mid |>aui se, 'Se hit in- 
werdlice gesingft, geaerndaft to 
gode sylfum ymbe sefre aelce 
neode, ]>e man beftearf, aftor 
o"&Son for ftisum life o&Son for 
■Sam toweardan. ac hu maeg 
p>onne aefre aenig man hine 
inweardlice to gode gebiddan, 
buton he inwerdlice on god 
haebbe rihtne geleafan. 

(Cf. Napier, Uber die Werke, 
etc., p. 66.) 

21 12 : . . . }>aet ge aefre habban 
rihtne geleafan on cenne celmiht- 
igne god . . . ]>e gescdp heofonas 
and eorSan and ealle gesceafta. 

21 19 : . . . waldend and wyrhta 
ealra gesceafta. Cf. 108 5 : and 
gelyfan anrwdlice on god cel- 
mihtigne \e is waldend and 
wyrhta ealra gesceafta. 

26 4 : j>aet is, ]?aet hi J>onne 
sculon to helle faran mid saule 



34 A Study of Wulf start's Homilies : their Style and Sources. 



mid sawle and mid lichoman 
and mid deofle wunian on helle 
witum. 



Thorpe, n, 330 8 : Wa J>am 
]>e |>ser sceal wunian on witum. 
him wsere betere ]?set he nsefre 
on weorulde man ne gewurde 
|>onne he gewurde. Nis se man 
on life ]>e areccan msege ealle 
]>a yrmSa J?e se gebidan sceal. 
sej>e on ]>a witu ealles behreo- 
se$. and hit is ealles ]?e wyrse 
]>e his senig ende ne cymft 
nsefre to worulde. 



Schmid, 274 ; Cnut, c. 6 : 
manslagan and mdnsworan, had- 
brecan and cewbrecan . . . 



Schmid, 274 ; Cnut, c. 7 : 
Liceteras and ledgeras, ryperas 
and redferas . . . 

Thorpe, n, 320 ' : ryperas and 
reaferas hi sculan hynan . . . 



Schmid, 226 ; ^thelred, c. 3 : 
. . . \a& muneca gehwylc . . . do 
siva him \earf is ; ... and mis- 
ddeda geswice, and bite swyfte 
georne, \>ost he dbrocen haebbe; . . . 



and mid lichaman and mid deofle 
wunjan on helle witum. 

(Cf. Napier, Tiber die Werke, 
etc., p. 67.) 

26 8 : wa ]>am, ]>e J>ser sceal 
wunjan on wite ; him wsere 
betere, }>set he sefre on worulde 
man ne gewurde, |>onne he ge- 
wurde. nis se man on life, pe 
areccan msege ealle }?a yrmfta, 
J>e se gebidan sceal, se ]>e on }>a 
witu ealles behreosej? ; and hit 
is ealles ]>e wyrse, ]?e his senig 
ende ne cym$ sefre to worulde. 

(Cf. Napier, Tiber die Werke, 
etc., p. 69.) 

26 u : j^yder sculan ma,nn- 
slagan, and ]?yder sculan man- 
swican, Jnder sculan cewbrecan 
and ]>'d fulan forlegenan ; }>yder 
sculan mdnsworan and morS- 
wyrhtan; |>yder sculan gitseras, 
ryperas and reaferas and wor- 
uldstruderas . . . ]>ider sculon 
wiccan and wigleras . . . 

Cf. 165 10 , note: her syndan 
. . . mannslagan and msegslagan 
. . . mdnswaran and morSor- 
wyrhtan . . . and fule forlegene 
horingas manege. 

27 4 : ac do nu manna gehwylc, 
swa him mycel \earf is, geswice 
yfeles and bete his misdozda \a 
hwile, \e he mage and mote. 



A Study of Wulfstan's Homilies : their Style and Sources. 35 



Thorpe, n, 322 v : ac we agan 
nedde, pset we hit gebetan, swa 
we geornost magan. 

Schmid, 234; ^thelred, c.49 : 
. . . ac manna gehwylc 63rum 
bedde pset riht, pset he wille, pset 
man him beode, . . . 



29 4 : . . . and senig man cvSrum 
ne b6ode butan riht : pset is, J^aet 
geh wa o'Srum beode, pset he wille, 
pset man him beode. Cf. 112 3 . 

(Cf. Napier, Tiber die Werke, 
etc., p. 68.) 



Homily XIX. 



Thorpe, n, 338 6 : ... and 
eall pset gelsestan pset pset we 
behetan, pa we fulluht under- 
fengon, oftfton pa pe set fulluhte 
ure foresprsecan wseron. Dset 
is ponne serest, pset pset man 
behate$ ponne man fulluhtes 
gyrn^, pset man a, wile deofol 
ascunian, and his unlare georne 
forbugan . . . pset man panan- 
forS aa wile on senne God a3fre 
gelyfan, and ofer ealle o3re 
ping hine a lufian, and a3fre his 
larum geornlice fylgean, and his 
agene beboda rihtlice heal dan. 



109 M : . . . and geftencan, 
hwset we behetan, pa we fulluht 
underfengan, o$3on pa, pe set 
fulluhte ure foresprecan wseran ; 
pset is, pset we woldan a god 
lufjan and on hine gelyfan and 
his bebodu healdan and deofol 
ascunjan and his unlara georne 
forbugan . . . 



Homily XXII. 



Schmid, 230; JEthelred, c. 25 : 
. . . eallum cristenum mannum 
sibb and sdm gemcene . . . 

Thorpe, n, 340 25 : Ealle we 
sculon senne god rihtlice lufian 
and weorpian, and senne cris- 
tenddm georne healdan, and 
selcne hsependona mid ealre 
mihte awyrpan. 



112 12 : ac utan gladjan georne 
god selmihtigue, habban us softe 
sibbe and some gemcene . . . 
utan gyman, pset we urne cris- 
tendom clsenlice gehealdan, and 
aweorpan selcne hsependom and 
habban rihtne geleafan . . . 



36 A Study of Wulf start's Homilies : their Style and Sources. 



Schmid, 230; ^Ethelred, c. 28: 
. . . and a$ and wedd wserllce 
healde, . . . 

Schmid, 230; JEthelred, c. 22: 
And fre6lsa and fsestena healde 
man rihtllce. 

Schmid, 264; Cnut, c. 18 : 
. . . forS&m ealle we sceollon 
jenne timan gebldan, )>onne us 
wsere ledfre ]?onne eall ]?set 
on middan-earde is, }>a3t we 
aworhtan ]?a hwile, J>e we 
mihton georne, Godes willan ; 
ac ]?onne we scolan habban an- 
feald lean )>ses, ]?e we on life 
£er geworhtan, w& J^am J?onne, 
J>e ser geearnode helle wite. 

Thorpe, n, 312 32 : Eallum 
cristenutn mannum gebyreft, 
]>set hi riht lufian and unriht 
ascunian. 

Thorpe, n, 320 29 : ... butan 
he geswice, and ]>e deoppor ge- 
bete for Gode and for worulde. 



112 18 : . . . and a a$ and wedd 
wserlice healdan and freolstida 
and fsestentida rihtlice under- 
standan . . . 

(Cf. Napier, Tiber die Werhe, 
etc., p. 69.) 

113 14 : ... an tima cymS 
ure seghwylcum, ]>set us wsere 
leofre, ]?onne eal, ]>aet we on 
worulde wrSseftan us lsefaft, 
]?ser we a worhton ]?a hwile, ]>e 
we mihtan, georne, j?set god 
licode. ac J>senne we sculan 
habban anfeald lean ]>aes, j>e we 
on life 8er geworhton. wa ]mrn 
|>onne, )>e aer geearnode helle 
wite. 

115 u : . . . utan lufjan riht 
georne and selc unriht ascunjan. 



115 4 : . . . butan hy geswican 
and ]>e deoppor gebetan. 



Homily XXXIII. 



Thorpe, n, 340 9 : And ne 
sceolde man sefre cyrican derian, 
ne senig woh beodan, on senige 
wisan. ac nu syndon ]?eah cyr- 
can wide and side wace gegri- 
■Sode, and yfele ge|?eowode and 
claene berypte ealdra gerihta, 
and innan bestry]?te selcera ge- 
risena, and cyric-}>enas syndon 



157 12 : on hse^enum feodum 
ne dear man forhealdan lytel 
ne mycel, ]?ses )>e gelagod is 
to gedwolgoda weorj^unge ; and 
we forhealda]> aeghwaer godes 
gerihta ealles to gelome. and 
ne dear man gewanjan on hsej^e- 
num feodum inne ne ute senig 
]?sera ]>inga, j?e gedwolgodan ge- 



A Study of Wulfstan's Homilies : their Style and Sources. 37 



msefte and munde gewelhwser 
bedselde, and wa fam J>e peer 
wealt, ]>eh he sw& ne wene . . . 



Thorpe, n, 324 17 : Eallum 
cristenurn m annum is my eel 
]>earf, )>set hi Godes lage fyli- 
gean, and godcundre lare georn- 
lice gyman. 

Thorpe, n, 324 26 : . . . ]>set 
gehadode menn regollice libban, 
and lsewede lahlice heora lif 
fadian to |>earfe heom sylfum. 

Thorpe, n, 312 6 : ... past 
he Godes larum and his lagum 
fyigie, J>onne geearnaft he him 
eee myrlrbe. 

Schmid, 234; JEthelred, c. 42: 
. . . and Godes larum and lagum 
rihtlice filigan, . . . 

Thorpe, ii, 324 * : And gif 
hit geweorSe ]>set folce mis- 



broht bi$ and to lacum betseht 
br3 ; and we habbaS godes hus 
inne and ute clsene berypte. and 
godes }>eowas syndan mse|?e and 
munde gewelhwar bedselde; . . . 
Ac so]> is, f?set ic secge, |>earf is 
psere bote, forj^am godes gerihta 
wanedan nu lange innan |>ysse 
}?eode on seghwylcum ende . . . 
and halignessa syndon to grrS- 
lease wide, and godes hus syn- 
don to clsene berypte ealdra and 
innan bestrypte selcra gerysena, 
and godcunde hadas wseron nu 
lange swrSe forsawene . . . 

157 10 : and mycel is nyd|>earf 
manna gehwylcum, |>set he godes 
lage gyme heonanforS georne . . . 



159 18 : . . . ne ure senig his 
lif fadode, swa swa he scolde, 
ne gehadode regollice ne lsewede 
lahlice . . . 

166 5 : and utan god lufjan 
and godes lagum fyligean . . . 



159 7 : ne dohte hit nu lange 
inne ne ute, ac wses here and 



38 A Study of Wulfstan's Homilies : their Style and Sources. 



limpe, jnirh here oftfton hunger, 
}>urh stric oftfte steorfan, ]>urh 
unwsestm oftfte unweder, ponne 
rsedan hi georne . . . 



Thorpe, n, 338 6 : ... and 
eall ];set gelsestan }?set ]>aet we 
behetan, )>a we fulluht under- 
fengon, oftfton pa )>e set fulluhte 
ure foresprecan wseron . . . and 
utan word and weorc rihtlice 
fadian, and ure ingeftanc clsen- 
sian georne, and aft and wedd 
wserlice healdan, and gelome 
understandan pone miclan dom, 
pe we ealle to-scylon, and beor- 
gan us georne wift pone weal- 
lendan bryne helle wites, and 
geearnian us pa rnserfta and pa 
myrhfta, pe God hsefft gegear- 
wod pam pe his willan on 
worulde gewyrcaft. 



Schmid, 228 ; ^thelred, c. 9 : 
And witena geraednes is, pset 
man cristene men and unfor- 
worhte of eard ne sylle, ne hum 
on hsepene peode, . . . 

Schmid, 226 ; ^thelred, c. 3 : 
. . . and bete swyfte georne, pset 
he abrocen hsebbe ; . . . 



hunger ... on gewelhwylcon 
ende . . . and us stalu and 
cwalu, stric and steorfa . . . 
derede swyfte pearle, and us 
ungylda swyfte gedrehton, and 
us unwedera for oft weoldan 
unwsestma . . . 

166 5 : and utan god lufjan 
and godes lagurn fyligean and 
gelsestan swyfte georne pset, 
pset we behetan, pa we fulluht 
underfengan, oftfton pa, pe set 
fulluhte ure foresprecan wseron. 
and utan word and weorc riht- 
lice fadjan and ure ingeftanc 
clsensjan georne and aft and 
wedd wserlice healdan and sume 
getrywfta habban us betweonan 
butan uncrseftan. and utan ge- 
lome understandan pone miclan 
dom, pe we ealle to sculan, and 
beorhgan us georne wift pone 
weallendan bryne hellewites and 
geearnjan us pa mserfta and pa 
myrhfta, pe god hsefft gegear- 
wod pam, pe his willan on 
worulde gewyrcaft. 

1 58 12 : . . . and ut of pisan 
earde wide gesealde swyfte 
unforworhte fremdum to ge- 
wealde . . . 



1 59 6 : . . . pset we ser py- 
san oftor brsecan, ponne we 
bettan . . . 



A Study of Wulf stall's Homilies : their Style and Sources. 39 



Schmid, 232; ^thelred, c. 38 : 
. . . and gif he geonbyrde and 
sylf gewyrce, ]?aet hine man 
afylle, liege segilde. 

Schmid, 230; ^Ethelred, c. 28: 
And swlcolllce dseda and la]?- 
lice unlaga asctinige man swr<5e, 
);aet is, . . . fule forligra, and 
egeslice man-swara and de6fllce 
daeda, on morSweorcum and on 
manslihtan, on stalan and on 
strtidungan, on gitsungan and 
on gifernessan, on ofermettan 
and on oferfyllan, on swic- 
craeftan and on mistlican lah- 
brican, on aew-brican and on 
had-brican, on freols-bricon and 
on faesten-bricon, on cyric-rdnan 
and maniges cynnes misdsedan. 



162 8 : . . . gyf jmel |?aene 
]?egen fullice afylle, liege aegylde 
ealre his maegfte . . . 



163 19 : ... swyfte forsyngod 
Jnirh msenigfealde synna and 
Jnirh fela misdaeda: |?urh mor$- 
daeda and ]mrh mandseda, )>urh 
gitsunga and J?urh gifernessa, 
}mrh stala and ]mrh strudunga, 
Jmrh mansylena and Jmrh hae- 
|>ene unsida, ]?urh swicdomas 
and jmrh searacraeftas, Jmrh 
lahbrycas and jmrh asswicas, 
]?urh msegrsesas and }mrh man- 
slihtas, ]>urh hadbrycas and 
purh aewbrycas, pmrh sibblegeru 
and Jnirh mistlice forligru. and 
eac syndan wide . . . ]mrh a$- 
brycas and ]>urh wedbrycas and 
]?urh mistlice leasunga forloren 
and forlogen ma, |;onne scolde, 
and freolsbricas and faestenbricas 
wide geworhte oft and gelome. 

Cf. 166 3 , note: . . . Jmrh 
oferfylla . . . 



Many of the rime-formulas, assertive expressions (at the begin- 
ning or the end of sentence), and intensifying expressions, the free 
use of which becomes a mannerism in Wulfstan, are found in the 
Laws and Institutes. 



larum and lagum, 

Schmid, 234 ; ^th., c. 42. 

daeges and nihtes oft and gelome, 
Schmid, 232; JEth., c. 41. 
" 256 ; Cnut, c. 6. 



lare and lage, 
Wulfstan, 108 4 . 

daeges and nihtes oft and gelome, 
112 17 . 



40 A Study of Wulj 'start's Homilies : their Style and Sources. 



oft and gelome, 






Schmid, 232 ; JEth. 


c. 


41. 


" 234 ; " 


a 


53. 


" 224 ; " 


u 


22. 


wide and side, 






Thorpe, ii, 340 u . 






wordes and weorces, 






Schmid, 230 ; J£th v 


c. 


28. 


a tt a 


it 


30. 


wordes and dsede, 






Thorpe, n, 324 10 . 







for gode and for worolde, 
Schmid, 228; ^Eth., c. 8, etc. 

for godes lufe and ege, 

Schmid, 306; Cnut, c. 68, § 1. 
ne for ege ne for lufe, 

Thorpe, n, 326 8 . 

wislice and wserlice, 
Thorpe, n, 336 39 . 

And word and weorc freonda 
gehwylc fadige mid rihte and 
aft and wedd wserlice healde. 
Schmid, 230 ; Mth. t c. 28. 



Leofan men, ic bidde, gehyraft 
hwset ic wille secgan . . . and ic 
bidde eow, leofan men, doft swa 
ic lsere, hlystaft swyfte georne, 
hwset ic nu secge. 
Thorpe, n, 324 M . 



oft and gelome, 159 9 ; 161 12 ; 
etc. 



wide and side, 164 15 . 



word and weorc, 167 3 . 
wordes o$$on weorces, 1 1 2 10 . 



wordes and dsede, 160 3 . 
wordes o$$e dsede, 163 18 . 

for gode and for worulde, 160 6 , 
etc. 

lufe ne ege, 10 5 ; 13 16 . 



wislice and wserlice, 167 14 . 



and utan word and weorc riht- 
lice fadjan . . . and a$ and 
wedd wserlice healdan . . ., 
167 2 . 

. . . aft and wedd wserlice 
healdan . . ., 113 1 . 

Leofan men, ic bidde eow, J>aet 
ge gejjyldelice hlystan |>ses, |>e 
ic eow nu secgan wille. 7 u , 



A Study of Wulfstan's Homilies : their Style and Sources. 41 



Ic bidde eow and eadmodlice 
lsere, men pa leofestan, paet . . . 
Thorpe, n, 394 \ 

gecnawe, sepe cunne, 

Thorpe, ii, 324 15 . 
Cf. gyme, sepe wille, 

Thorpe, ii, 310 21 . 
Cf. gehealde, sepe wille, 

Thorpe, n, 338 17 . 

Forpam, understande sepe cunne, 
Thorpe, n, 328 15 . 

And soft is paet ic secge, 

Thorpe, n, 338 17 . 
forSam sop is, 'Saet ic secge, ge- 
lyfe sepe wille, 

Thorpe, n, 320 3 . 

ForSam understande se pe wille 
o#Se cunne, 

Schmid, 254 ; Cnut, c. 4. 
And la understandan man georne 
paet . . . 

Schmid, 232; ^thelred, c. 29. 

Full georne hig witan 3aet, 
Schmid, 258 ; Cnut, c. 6, § 2. 



gif he mage, 

Schmid, 284 ; Cnut, c. 25. 

swa hit pincan maeg, 

Thorpe, ii, 322 ll ; 326 36 . 

swa swa bee taecan, 
Thorpe, ii, 340 9 . 



gecnawe, se pe cunne ; 159 2 ; 
162 2 . 



understande se pe wille, 161 9 . 
understande se pe cunne; 162 12 . 

Leofan men, gecnawaft paet so$ 
is: 156 4 . 

Ac soS is paet ic secge, 1 58 4 . 
ac soft is, paet ic secge, gyme, se 
pe wille: 168 4 . 

understandap eac georne, 156 7 . 
Leofan men, utan understandan, 
167 12 . 

Leofan men, understandap, 108 2 . 
Leofan menn, understandap 
swySe georne, 21 12 . 

la hwaet, we witan ful georne, 

157 7 . 

Eac we witan ful georne, 161 6 . 

do mare, gyf he maege, 160 5 . 



swa hit pincan mseg, 159 13 ; 
163 19 . 

swa swa bee taecan, 165 8 . 

paes pe bee secgaft. 15 3 ; 19 u . 



42 A Study of Wulfstan , s Homilies : their Style and Sources. 

tofela, 156 10 ;160 15 ;161 3 ;etc. 



ealles to fela, 

Thorpe, n, 334 17 . 

ealles to swyfte, 

Thorpe, ii, 320 13 
312 22 : 312 40 . 



310 



swySe georne, 

Thorpe, ii, 306 8 ; 310 8 . 

to swy$e, 

Thorpe, n, 308 8 ; 312 w . 

ealles to gelome, 
Thorpe, ii, 320 36 . 

ealles to wide, 
Thorpe, n, 322 18 . 

swa us mycel ]?earf is, 

Thorpe, ii, 330 34 . 
swa ic mycele ]?earf ah, 

Thorpe, n, 332 ". 
swa swa ure ealra pearf sy, 

Thorpe, ii, 332 24 . 
eall swa hit ]?earf is, 

Schmid, 262 ; Cnut, c. 14. 
and seghwilc cristenman do swa 
him ]>earf is . . ., 

Schmid, 266 ; Cnut, c. 19. 
and ealra manna p>earf is, 

Schmid, 316 ; Cnut, c. 84, § 4. 

on seghwylce wisan, 
Thorpe, ii, 320 19 . 



wty Godes yrre, 

Schmid, 222; ^thelred, c. 8. 



ealles to swySe, 164 18 . 

swa georne, 156 u . 

to swy$e, 156 8 ; 162 16 ; 168 13 . 
ealles to swy$e ; 164 18 . 

ealles to gelome, 157 15 . 
ealles to wide, 156 13 ; ll 11 . 



swa we }?earfe agan, 109 u . 
swa us J?earf is, 166 3 . 
ealswa us j^earf is, 167 12 . 



J>set Eerest cristenra manna ge- 
hwilc ah ealra ];inga maeste 
)?earfe, 108 2 . 



on seghwylcum ende, 158 5 . 
on gewelhwylcon ende, 1 59 9 . 
on gewelhwilcum ende, 162 14 . 

purh godes yrre, 159 2 ; 162 3 ; 
etc. 



A Study of Wulfstan' s Homilies : their Style and Sources. 43 

How shall we account for this close relation between the homi- 
lies and the laws ? Is Wulfstan the author of both ? Certainly 
this would be the most satisfactory manner of explaining the many 
agreements, both verbal and stylistic. 

That Wulfstan was the author of the Latin paraphrase of the 
laws enacted at the council of Enham, in the reign of iEthelred, 
we know from his own words (Schmid, p. 239) : " ego Wulfstanus 
. . . Eboracensium archiepiscopus, eadem . . . Uteris infixi," etc. 
(Cf. Napier, Tiber die Werke, etc., p. 6.) 

Wanley, finding the Institutes of Polity (Thorpe, n, 304-341) by 
the side of Wulfstan's homilies, and in Worcester MSS. only, did 
not hesitate to ascribe them to the Archbishop. 1 Dietrich, Nied- 
ner's Zeitschrift f hist. Theol., p. 544, thinks Wulfstan may be the 
author of the Ecclesiastical Institutes (Thorpe, n, 394 ff.) (cf. Napier, 
Uber die Werke, etc., p. 6.). 

Freeman, commenting on certain provisions of the Laws of 
iEthelred, says (Hist. Nor. Con., i, 368) : " In all this we can 
hardly fail to trace the hand of the good Archbishop iElf heah." 

It is more probable that we have here traces of the hand of the 
" good Archbishop " Wulfstan. I shall attempt to show later that 
Wulfstan had a distinct purpose in quoting freely the Laws and 
Institutes. For the present, it is only necessary to remark that 
the similarity in style in the homilies and Laws leaves little doubt 
of the fact that the homilist is in large measure the author of the 
Laws. We must remember that Wulfstan held a position of great 
prominence in the reign of JEthelred and in a part of the reign of 
Cnut. The laws of these monarchs are concerned with spiritual 
as well as temporal affairs, and we should expect that the Arch- 
bishop of York, with other ecclesiastical dignitaries, would be called 
upon to help in framing them. 



1 The Institutes of Polity are found in a tenth century MS. Cf. Thorpe, i, p. 

XXVI. 



44 A Study of Wulfstan's Homilies : their Style and Sources. 



PART II. 



It is the object of the second part of this work to classify the 
remaining homilies of the Wulfstan collection. Testing these by 
the principles of style which characterize the accepted homilies, we 
arrange them into two main groups : 
I. The Wulfstan-Group. 

II. Homilies not in the Wulfstan-Group. 

In the Wulfstan-Group a further classification is attempted : 

a. Homilies probably written by Wulfstan. 

b. Homilies showing features of Wulfstan's style, though prob- 
ably not written by him. 

Such a division is necessarily unsatisfactory. It is not possible, 
in the light of the few accepted homilies, themselves differing in 
style, to determine beyond doubt into which of these divisions a 
given homily should fall. Yet there are certain of these homilies 
which one feels must be the work of Wulfstan, while there are 
others which show only in part Wulfstan-characteristics, being 
probably the work of imitators. 



I. THE WULFSTAN-GROUP. 

a. Homilies Probably Written by Wulfstan. 

Homily V. 

An external evidence for ascribing this homily to Wulfstan is 
found in the place of its appearance in the MSS. It is found in 
four MSS., B. C. E. H., all of which contain accepted homilies of 
Wulfstan (cf. Napier : Wulfstan, Sammlung der ihm zugeschriebenen 
Homilien, etc., 314 ff.). In MS. B. the order is : xxxiii, v, II ; 
here it appears between two accepted homilies. In E. the order 
is : II, in, v; here it follows two accepted homilies, and is third in 
order from the superscription ineipiunt sermones JJupi episcopi. 



A Study of Wulfstan's Homilies : their Style and Sources. 45 



Examining the homily itself, we find that it consists chiefly of 
thoughts found in the Laws and Institutes bearing on baptism. 
These ideas are united into a consecutive narrative, exactly in the 
style of Wulfstan, many of them being found in the same words 
in his accepted homilies. 

Instances of agreement with Laws and Institutes : 
Compare 32 ^ with Thorpe, n, 330 23 . 

a on 14-15 a a a ooo 11 

" 33 Ui " Schmid, 266 ; Cnut, c. 22. 

u oo 14 (( a it a u 21 

37 » " " 265; " " 18, § 1. 

Instances of agreement with accepted homilies : 



32 u : . . . and p»set he eac 
wrSsace anrsedlice deofles ge- 
manau : |?set is, ]>set he forsace 
and forbnge his unlara . . . 

33 ' : . . . |?aet he cunne, )?set 
selc cristen man huru cunnan 
sceal, pater noster and credan. 
mid J?am pater nostre man sceal 
to gode gebiddan and mid ]?am 
credan geswuteljan rihtne ge- 
leafan. 

37 7 : Jjonne is mycel )?earf, 
\>set cristenra manna gehwylc 
]>set understande, and J?set he 
his cristendom mid rihte ge- 
healde. 

37 I8 : ... forSam we synd 
Jmrh cristendom ealle gebro- 
$ra . . . 

38 7 : ac utan understandan, 
hwset J?a twa word maenan, 
abrenuntio and credo, . . . 



109 17 : . . . and deofol as- 
cunjan and his unlara georne 
forbugan. 

20 12 : . . . J>set he cunne, ]?set 
selc cristen man huru cunnan 
sceal, pater noster and credan. 
for)?am mid }>am o'Srum sceal 
selc cristen man hine to gode 
gebiddan and mid |>am oftrum 
geswuteljan rihtne geleafan. 

20 6 : . . . understandaft, J>set 
selc cristen man ah micle ]?earfe, 
J?set he his cristendomes gescead 
wite, and ]?set he cunne rihtne 
geleafan rihtlice understandan. 

112 6 : and J?set we syndan 
Jnirh cristendom ealle gebro^ra. 

110 6 : twa word behealdaft 
mycel : abrenuntio and credo. 



46 A Study of Wulfstan's Homilies : their Style and Sources. 



37 20 : . . . J>set aeni cristen 
man cSram ne beode, butan 
|>aet he wille J>aet man him 
beode . . . 



38 14 : and }>eah ]>set cild to 
|;am geong sy, ]>eet hit specan 
ne msege, J?onne hit man fulla}>, 
his freonda forsprsec forstent 
him eal ]?set sylfe, svvylce hit 
sylf spsece. 

39 22 : ... and hyne sylfne 
wserlice beftence and his cristen- 
dom clsenlice healde and aelcne 
hse]?end6m mid ealle aweorpe. 



112 3 : and utan understandan, 
]>set nis nan rihtra dom, ];onne 
ure selc oiSrurn beode, ]?set we 
willan, J>set man us beode. 

Cf. 29 4 . 

110 2 : and }>eah j?set cild for 
geogofte sprecan ne mage, );onne 
hit man fullaft, his freonda fore- 
sprsec forstent him eal J>set ylce, 
]?e hit sylf sprsece. 



112 15 : utan gyman, ]>set we 
urne cristendom clsenlice ge- 
healdan and aweorpan selcne 
hse]>endom. 



38 3 -40 2 is found again in lviii, 301 5 -302 10 . 

Homily X. 
Found in MSS. B. C. E. I. In B. it lies immediately before xix. 

Instances of agreement with Laws and Institutes : 
Compare 65 15 " 17 with Thorpe, n, 330 23 . 

" 67 M " Schmid, 234 ; Mtii., c. 49. 
" 67 7 u Thorpe, ii, 338 6 . 

a on 10-12 u a t( ooo 13 

a an 13-18 it it it 33Q 29-36 

u nn 19-24 u a it 340 16_23 

70 Ml 6 j 73 8 -74 u are based on Laws. 
Instances of agreement with accepted homilies : 



65 15 : Leofan men, eallutn 
cristenum mannum is mycel 
j>earf, |?set hy heora cristen- 
domes gescad witan, and past 
hy heora cristendom rihtlice 
healdan. 



20 6 : understandaft, |?set selc 
cristen man ah micle ]>earfe, 
)>set he his cristendomes gescead 
wite . . . 



A Study of Wulfstan's Homilies : their Style and Sources. 47 



67 * : . . . and he georne 
eac lserde, paet manna gehwilc 
o$rum beode paet, paet he wille, 
paet man him beode. 

Cf. 73 10 . 

67 7 : . . . and eal paet ge- 
laestan, paet paet we behetan, pa 
we fulluht underfengan, o&Son 
pa, pe set fontbaefte ure fore- 
sprecan wa3ran. 

71 12 : ... forSam under- 
stande, se pe wille. 

73 5 : ealle pa pry naman be- 
fehft an godcund miht, and is 
untodseled an ece god, wealdend 
and wyrhta ealra gesceafta ; . . . 

74 21 : and doft, swa ic laere, . . . 
Cf. 69 10 . 

oft and gelome, 73 20 ; 75 10 . 

ealles to lange, 69 15 . 
ealles to gelome, 69 17 . 
ealles to swy$e, 70 9 . 
to swy-Se, 69 16 ; 69 19 
70 15 ; 70 20 ; 70 17 ; 74 19 . 



70 



29 4 : and aenig man o"3rum 
ne beode butan riht: paet is, 
paet gehwa o$rum beode, paet 
he wille, paet man him beode. 

Cf. 112 4 . 

109 14 : . . . and geSencan, 
hwaet we behetan, pa we fulluht 
underfengan, o&Son pa, "Se aet 
fulluhte ure foresprecan waeran. 



21 u : Leofan menu, under- 
standa$ swy^e georne . . . 
Cf. 108 2 . Cf. 156 7 ; 167 I2 . 

21 18 : ealle pa pry naman be- 
felrS an godcund miht, and is 
untodseled an 6ce godd, waldend 
and wyrhta ealra gesceafta. 

1 59 2 : gecnawe, se pe cunne. 



oft and gelome, 159 9 , etc. 

ealles to gelome, 157 15 ; 164 18 . 
ealles to swy-Se, 164 18 . 
toswySe, 156 8 ; 162 16 ; 168 13 . 



Homily XII. 

Found in MSS. C. E. G. H. In H. it lies immediately before 
XXXIII. 

Instances of agreement with Laws : 

Compare 78 7 " 9 with Schmid, 266 ; Cnut, c. 21. 



" 79 13 -80 6 " 



268; 



26. 



48 A Study of Wulfstan's Homilies : their Style and Sources. 



Instances of agreement with accepted homilies 



79 7 : . . . pses pe bee sec- 
ga3, . . . 

79 6 : and swa my eel ear- 
foftnes gewyrS on msenige 
wisan gyt wide on worulde, 
pses pe bee secgaft, purh deofles 
beam, pe unriht dreoga"S, swa 
nsefre ser on worulde ne ge- 
wearS, foHSam pset mseste yfel 
cymS to mannum, ponne Ante- 
crist sylf cyrn-3, pe sefre ser on 
worulde gewurde. 

79 12 : . . . forSam peos 
iruld is fram dsege to dsege 
'a leng swa wyrse. 

• : god us gescylde wi$ 
psene egesan, and he us geryme 
to ftsere ecan rnyrhfte, pe pam 
is gegearwod, pe his willan ge- 
wyrcaft . . . 



15 3 : . . . pses pe bee secgaft. 
Cf. 19 u . 

1 9 2 : he ssede, pset sefter 
pisum fsece gewurSan sceall 
swa egeslic tima, swa sefre ser 
nses, sySftan peos woruld ge- 
wearS ; Anticristes tima bip 
sefter pysum, and nu swySe 
rafte his man mseg wenan, and 
purh hine gewyrS swa micel 
gryre, swa nsefre ser on worulde 
ne gewearS. 

156 5 : . . . and py hit is 
on worulde a, swa leng, swa 
wyrse, . . . 

18 6 : . . . p£et he hsefS us 
gerymeS rihtne weg to ecan 
life; . . . 

1 9 u : . . . pa, pe godes willan 
her wyrcaft, pa sculan ponne 
habban ece blisse on heofona 
rice. 



Homily XIII. 

Found in MSS. C. E. H. 

Instances of agreement with Laws and Institutes : 
Compare 86 10 with Thorpe, n, 324 *; 320 \ 



87 x 



324 



Instances of agreement with accepted homilies : 

81 2 : pa ssede he heom, pset 19 2 : he ssede, pset sefter pisum 
swilce earfoftnessa and swylce fsece gewurpan sceall swa egeslic 



A Study of Wulfstan's Homilies : their Style and Sources. 49 



gedrecednessa sculan on worulde 
ser }>ani ende geweorSau, swylce 
nsefre aer ne gewurdan ne nsefre 
eft ne geweorSa$. 
Cf. 85 10 . 

81 13 : ealles to swySe. 
82 9 : ealles to wide. 
85 3 : ealles to manege. 

82 4 : and gecnawe, se ]>e 
cunne, ... Cf. 82 13 . 

82 10 : . . . ne manna getrywfta 
to ahte ne standa'S, ac unriht ric- 
saiS wide and side, and tealte ge- 
try w$a sindon mid mannura, . . . 



82 19 : Crist wses ealra bearna 
betst geboren, ]>e sefre geboren 
wurde, . . . 



83 2 : nu sceal hit nydeyfeljan 
swySe, forSam ]?e hit nealseeS 
georne his timan, . . . 

Cf. 83 10 ; 83 n . 



83 18 : wide and side. 

85 3 : ... and god him ge$a- 
fa$ ]?set for manna gewyrhtum, 
4 



tirna, swa sefre ser nses, syftftan 
]?eos woruld gewearS ; . . . 



1 64 18 : ealles to swy iSe. 
156 13 : ealles to wide. Cf.ll 11 . 



159 2 
cunne ; 



. gecnawe, se \>e 
Cf. 162 2 . 



1 56 9 : . . . and }>8et lytle ge- 
trywfta wa3ron mid mannum . . . 
and unrihta to fela ricsode on 
lande; . . . 

159 u : . . . nu fela geara . 
rihta fela and tealte getrv 
seghwser mid mannum. * 08 

14 15 : . . . and of heora cynne 
syft^an geboren wearS ealra 
bearna betst, ]>e sefre geboren 
wurde, pset was ure drihten 

Crist, . . . 

156 4 : "Seos woruld is on ofste, 
and hit nealseeS J>am ende, and 
\>y hit is on worulde a, swa 
leng, swa wyrse, and swa hit 
sceal nyde ser Antecristes to- 
cyme yfeljan swySe. 

164 15 : wide and side. 

11 " : deofol ah Jmrh godes 
ge]>afunge ]>ses geweald, pset he 



50 A Study of Wulfstan's Homilies : their Style and Sources. 



J>set he sume hwile mot swa 
wodlice derjan . . . }>set deofol 
mot openlice ]?onne heora fand- 
jan, hu fela he forspanan msege 
to ecan forwyrde. 

86 3 : nis se man on life, J>e 
msege o<S$e cunne swa yfel hit 
asecgan, . . . 

86 5 : ne byrlrS ];onne bro^or 
oftrum hwilan ne feeder his 
bearne ne beam his agenum 
feeder ne gesibb gesibban ]>e 
ma, ]>e fremdan. 

86 9 : eac sceal aspringan wide 
and side sacu and clacu, hoi 
and hete and rypera reaflac, 
here and hunger, bryne and 
blodgyte and styrnlice styr- 
unga, stric and steorfa and fela 
ungelimpa. 



86 16 : and eal hit forwurde, 
gyf god ne gescyrte ]>ses ]?eod- 
sca'San lifdagas ]>e ra'Sor |?urh 
his mihta. ac for J>sera gebeorge, 
|>e him syn gecorene, and )>e he 
habban wyle gehealden and ge- 
holpen, . . . J>onne wurS godes 
dom rihtlice toscaden ; . . . 



mot manna fandjan, hwarSer 
heora gcSanc aht sy, . . . 



26 " : nis se man on life, J>e 
areccan msege ealle J?a yrmSa, . . . 



1 59 15 : ne bearh nu for oft 
gesib gesibban ]>e ma, ]>e frem- 
dan, ne fseder his bearne ne 
hwilum beam his agenum fseder 
ne broSor oftrum. 

159 7 : ne dohte hit nu lange 
iune ne ute, ac wses here and 
hunger, bryne and blodgyte on 
gewelhwylcon ende oft and ge- 
lome; and us stalu and cwalu, 
stric and steorfa . . . hoi and 
hete and rypera reaflac derede 
swySe ^earle, . . . 

19 8 : . . . and eal hit for- 
wurde, gyf god his hwile ne 
scyrte ; ac godd hine forde]> ]>e 
ra}>or forJ>am )>e he wile ge- 
heorhgan ]>am, ]>e him sylfum 
syn gecorene and gecweme. and 
rafte sySSan sefter ]?am, . . . 
gewyrS se micla dom, . . . 



Homily XIV. 

Found in MSS. C. E., in both of which it follows xin. This 
homily is so short that few instances of agreement with the Laws or 






A Study of Wulfstan's Homilies : their Style and Sources. 51 



with the accepted homilies can be given ; but its tone and general 
style leave little doubt that it is a genuine homily of Wulfstan's. 
Compare 9 u with Thorpe, n, 338 13 . 

Instances of agreement with accepted homilies : 
89 13 : we witan ful georne. 



89 18 : toswy-Se. 

89 19 : to manege. 

89 u : . . . nis se man on 
eor]?an ne se encgel on heofonan, 
)>e wite . . . 

90 10 : ... utan don . . . swa 
us |>earf is, . . . 



157 7 
georne , 



. we witan ful 
Cf. 161 6 . 



156 8 : toswySe. Cf. 162 16 ; 
168 13 . 

114 9 : nis se man on life, J>e 
areccan msege . . . 

166 3 : and utan don, swa us 
]>earf is, . . . Cf. 167 12 . 



Homily XV. 

Found in MSS. A. C. E. In the last two it follows xiv. 
Compare 93 23 -94 10 with Thorpe, n, 330 8 . 
92 s -12 is based on Laws. 

Instances of agreement with accepted homilies : 

1 59 14 : . . . nu fela geara un- 



91 5 : and ]>y is fela yfela 
and mislicra gelimpa wide mid 
mannum. 

91 10 : and ]>y hit is on worulde 
a, swa leng, swa wyrse, . . . 

91 12 : swytol and gesyne. 
91 10 : swySe georne. 

91 17 : for gode and for 
worulde. 

92 u : to swrSe. 
92 20 : to fela. 



rihta fela and tealte getrywSa 
seghwser mid mannum. 

156 6 : . . . and ]>y hit is 
on worulde a, swa leng, swa 
wyrse, . . . 

159 5 : swutol and gesyne. 



156 



ii . 



160 6 : 
worulde. 



swa georne. 
for gode and for 



156 8 : to swySe. 
156 10 : to fela. 



52 A Study of Wulf start's Homilies : their Style and Sources. 



93 13 : ne byrh$ se gesibba I 1 59 15 : ne bearh nu for oft 
]>am gesibban J>e ma, ]>e |?am gesibb gesibban ]>e ma, ]>e 
fremdan. I fremdan, . . . 

Compare 93 23 -94 10 with 1 1 4 2 -l 1 4 12 ; 26 6 -26 14 . 



94 10 : eala, leofan men, utan 
don, swa us |>earf is, beorgan 
us georne wr<5 psene egesan and 
helpan ure sylfra )>& hwile, ]>e 
we magan and motan, . . . 



27 4 : ac do nu manna gehwylc, 
swa him mycel J>earf is, geswice 
yfeles and bete his misdaeda pa 
hwile, ]>e he mage and mote : . . . 



Homily XVII. 

Found in MSS. C. E. H. In C. and E. it follows xv ; in H. 
it follows xn, and lies just before xxxiii. 
101 23 -102 5 is based on the Laws. 

Instances of agreement with accepted homilies : 



94 20 : Leofan men, us is mycel 
pearf, p>set we wsere beon pses 
egeslican tirnan, ]>e towerd is. 
nu bij? swySe ra$e Antecristes 
tima, pses ]?e we wenan magan 
and eac georne witan, and |>set 
bip se egeslicesta, ]>e sefre ge- 
wearS, sy&San peos woruld 
serost gescapen waes. . . . J>urh 
Crist com eallum middanearde 
help and frofer, and Jmrh Ante- 
crist cymft se msesta gryre and 
seo mseste earfoftnes, ]>e sefre ser 
on worulde geworden wear]? ; 
and eall mancynn forwurde 
forSrihte, gif god his dagas ne 
gescyrte. ac god gescyrt his 
dagas for Ssera pingan, ];e him 
gecorene syn and he gehealden 
habban wile. 



19 1 : ... and eac he ssede 
for myclan egsan, ]>e gyt to- 
weard is ; he ssede, |>set sefter 
Jnsuru face gewurpan sceall swa 
egeslic tima, swa sefre ser nses, 
syS^an J?eos woruld gewearS ; 
Antecristes tima bty sefter )>y- 
sum, and nu swyfte rafte his 
man mseg wenan, and J>urh 
hine gewyrS swa micel gryre, 
swa nsefre ser on worulde ne 
gewearS. eall middaneard bi}> 
]>urh hine gedreht and gedr^fed, 
and eall hit forwurde, gyf god 
his hwile ne scyrte; ac god hine 
fordej? ]>e ra]?or, for|?am ]>e he 
wile gebeorhgan pam, "Se him 
sylfum syn gecorene and ge- 
cweme. 



A Study of Wulf start's Homilies : their Style and Sources. 53 



97 7 : ealles to lyt. 

97 9 : ure drihten Crist ge- 
hselde fela J>sera on life, J?e 
unhale wseron, and se deofol 
Antecrist gebrocaft and geun- 
trumaft )>a, J?e ser hale wseron ; 
and he nsenne gehselan ne mseg, 
buton he hine serest awyrde. 
ac syftftan he ]>sene mann ge- 
brocoft hsefS, sy^ftan he mseg 
don, swylce he hine gehsele, gyf 
he geswycft J>ses, }>e he ser ]>ain 
men to yfele dyde. 



97 ™ : selc yfel he mseg don 
and selc he dej? ; . . . 

98 * : ne can ic ne sefre a3nig 
man oSrum asecgan fore ealne 
]?one egsan, J?e jnirh |>sene deofol 
on wornlde geweorSan sceal. 

98 3 : }>onne age we mycle 
]?earfe, . . . 

98 6 : and mycle p>earfe agan 
J>a, . . . Cf. 101 10 . 

99 4 : set nyhstan. Cf. 99 8 ; 
99 s4 . 



1 64 18 : ealles to swySe. 

11 15 : ... J>onne de]> he ]>eah 
swyfte lytelice, pser he ongyt 
unwsere menn, sent sona on hy 
sylfe o$$on hwilum on heora 
yrfe sum swrSlic brocc, and 
]?onne hwilum gehata}> hy sel- 
messan ]mrh deofles lare o$3on 
to wylle o&Son to stane oiSfton 
elles to sumum unalyfedum 
]>ingum, and ]?onne sona for 
oft by}> |>set brocc li|>re. la, 
for hwy ]?onne bty hit swa, 
buton forSam, pe se man byS 
J>onne beswicen, and deofol ah 
■8a saule, butan he geswice and 
fte deoppor gebete J>a rnisdsede? 
of deofle ne cymS senig ofter 
b6t, buton, J?onne he hsefS ]?ses 
mannes sawle beswicen, ]>onne 
geswieS he ]>sere dare, \>e he ]>am 
menn elles ser mid derede, . . . 

11 14 : selc yfel cynrS of deofle 
and selc broc and nan bot ; . . . 

114 9 : nis se man on life, ]>e 
areccan nisege ealle ]>a yrm$a, 
|>e se gebidan sceal . . . 



109 n : utan don 6ac, swa we 
]>earfe agan, . . . 



10 4 : set nyhstan. Cf. 10 7 . 



54 A Study of Wulfstan's Homilies : their Style and Sources. 



99 19 : to swy$e. 

100 10 : swyfte georne. 
98 15 : swyfte pearle. 

98 18 : wundorlice swySe. 

99 6 : pearle swySe. 

101 13 : eac is secge to so]?e, 



156 8 : to swySe. Cf. 162 16 ; 
168 13 . 



158 4 : Ac so)> is, }>8et ic 
secge, ... Cf. 168 \ 



Homily XXVII. 

Nearly every sentence in this homily can be found in xxxiii ; 
it is only a shortened form of that homily. 
Cf. Napier, JJber die Werke, etc., p. 16. 

6. Homilies Showing Features of Wulfstan's Style, 
Though Probably Not Written by Him. 

Homily I. 

Found in MSS. C. E. L. In C. and E. it lies just before the 
superscription inc. serm. Lupi epis. It is only in the last part of 
this homily, 4 4 to end, that marks of Wulfstan's style are found. 

5 n : ac sop is, J>set ic secge. 

Compare 5 12 " 16 with 108 8 -109 \ 

4 4 , note, " 1 23 15 -1 24 8 ; 90 Mi . 

Homily XXIV. 

Compare 119 12 -120 1 with Schmid, 266 ; Cnut, c. 20. 

« 121 M0 " 16 9 " 13 ; 18 6 " 7 . 

121 6 -122 9 found again in 150 ^-lSl 14 . 
122 s " 9 " " " 127 13 , note. 



Homily XXV. 

Compare 122 12 -123 7 with 32 ^ 
« 123 15 -124 8 " 4*, note. 



A Study of Wulj "stem's Homilies : their Style and Sources. 55 



Homily XXVI. 

Compare 125 ^ with Schmid, 266 ; Cnut, c. 22. Cf. 20 W3 . 
" 127 8_12 " 124 10 " 15 



Homily XXXVII. 

Based almost entirely on Laws. 

with Schmid, 266 ; Cnut, c. 21. 
" 268; " " 26. 
" 254; " " 4. 
Thorpe, ii, 324 21 " 25 . 

U 11 3^8 21-23 

Schmid, 234 ; ^thelred, c. 42-49. 
Cf. 308 17 -309 9 . 
176 23 -178 18 " Thorpe, 11, 308 16 -310 7 . 



Compare 


176 20 


« 


176 * 


a 


176 2i 


it 


179 M 


a 


1?9 11-13 


it 


J 79 13-32 



Homily XL. 

188 n -189 5 is based on Laws. 
Compare 189 4 " 5 with 109 ^ 

it 189 ^7 it 156 4-6 # 

" 189 11 " 15 " 4 4 , note. 

Homily XLI. 

Compare 191 W8 with Thorpe, 11, 310 1M1 . Cf. Schmid, 268; 
Cnut, c. 26. 

Homily XLII. 

Compare 191 2S -192 10 with 94 20 -95 6 . 

" 199 14 -201 2 " Revelation, c. ix. 
" 202 19 -204 23 " 25 7 -28 4 . 



Homily XL VII. 

The first part of this homily, to 243 21 , is in Wulfstan's style. 
Compare 242 23 -243 3 with 159 W3 . 



243 



156 



56 A Study of Wulfstan's Homilies : their- Style and Sources. 



II. HOMILIES NOT IN THE WULFSTAN-GROUP. 

The following homilies show no evidence of Wulfstan's style. 
Extracts from the accepted homilies are doubtless the work of 
copyists. 

Homily XXIX. 

This is a compilation made up from several sources : 

1. Introduction, consisting of passages from Laws. 

2. 136 2 M40 2 , prose rendering of Be Domes Dcege, 11. 92-269. 
Cf. Napier, Wulfstan, Sammlung der ihm zugeschriebenen Homilien, 
etc., p. vin. 

3. 140 9 -141 25 , Speech of Soul to Body, found in Thorpe, II, 
396 39 -398 ». Compare 142 26 -143 2 with Thorpe, n, 400 M . 

4. Conclusion, based on Laics. 

Homily XXX. 

Compare 143 M5 with Thorpe, n, 338 29 " 33 . 

143 15_19 " " (i 340 15 ~ 19 

143 22_ 144 2 8 U it il 338>-27. 

148 18 -149 9 " 263 J -264 5 . 

148 28 " Thorpe, n, 396 ». 

150 23 -151 14 " 121 5 -122 9 . 

151 27 -152 2 " 18 ,3 -19 4 . 

152 M " 19 18 -20 4 . 

Homily XXXV. 

Compare 169 16 -1 70 2 with 1 59 7 - 13 . Cf. Thorpe, n, 324 28 . 
172 12 " Thorpe, ii, 324 17 . 

Homily XXXVI. 

Same as above, with variant readings. Cf. Napier, Wulfstan, 
etc., note to homily xxxv. 

Homily XLIII. 

Compare 207 29 -209 9 with 116 Ml 9 n . 
" 209 9 -209 25 " 113 13 -114 12 . 



A Study of Wulfstan's Homilies : their Style and Sources. 57 



Homily XLIV. 

Same as above, with variant readings. Cf. Napier, Wulfstan, etc., 
note to homily xliii. 

Homily XLV. 

Many passages found again in homily xliv. 

Homily XLIX. 

The beginning (250 15 -252 12 ) and end of this homily are found in 
The Blickling Homilies, p. 105 ff. Cf. Napier, Wulfstan, etc., p. Vin. 



Compare 266 9 " 12 

" 266 12 -267 

" 267 9 ~ 24 

" 268 12 " 15 

" 268 2(W6 

« 268 26 " 29 

" 269 x " 8 

a 269 16_24 

tt 270 *- M 

" 271 M 

" 271 ^ 

" 271 18_2 ° 

« 271 30 -272 

« 272 s - 5 

a 272 ^ 

tt 272 9 ' 12 

« 272 13 " 18 
273 14 " 18 found again 

07Q 21-31 i( « 



Homily L. 

with Schmid, 250 ; Cnut, c. 2, § 3. 
8 " Thorpe, ii, 304 8 -306 12 . 

« " " 306 31 -308 7 . 

" 156 ,4 -157 3 . 

" 159 7 " 15 . 

" 161 n -162 2 . 

" Schmid, 222 ; ^thelred, c. 4, 5. 

" " 228; " " 5 and § 1 

" Thorpe, ii, 334 ^-336 l9 . 

Cf. Thorpe, ii, 372, xxm. 



" Schmid, 248 

" " 228 

" " 230 

3 u u 232 

" " 232 

" " 244 

tt « 244 

" « 262 

in 79 13 " 17 . 

" 85 15 -86 5 . 



^Ethelred, c. 40. 
" " 11, 12. 

" « 26. 

« " 31, 32. 
" " 32, § 2. 

" " 10. 

Cnut, c. 14, 15, 16. 



Compare 274 12 " 16 

" 274 1& " 18 



Homily LI. 

with Schmid, 220 ; JEthelred, c. 1. 
« " 226 ; " " 35. 



58 A Study of Wulj 'start's Homilies : their Style and Sources. 

Compare 274 18 ; 274 2U23 with Schmid, 220 ; ^thelred, c. 1, § 1. 
274 23 « " 304; Cnut, c. 64. 

275 ^ " " 230; iEthelred, c. 14. 

H&mily LII. 

Compare with Thorpe, n, 326 1 " 6 ' 16 - 34 . Cf. Napier, Wulfstan, 
etc., note. 

Homily LIV. 

This homily agrees in part with a homily of iElfric's. Cf. 
J Homilies of the Anglo-Saxon Church, Thorpe, n, 574 ff. 
Compare 277 1S " 16 with ^lfric, 574 23 ff. 

" 278 M " " 578 17 ff. 

« 279 24 " 29 " " 580 10 . 

tt 280 w " " 580 28 . 

" 280 ""* " " 582 *. 

« 281 7 " u " " 586 \ 



Homily LV. 

With the exception of 11. 282 22 -284 18 and 284 ^-285 u , this 
homily is the same as one of iElfric's. {Homilies of the Anglo- 
Saxon Church, Thorpe, n, p. 98 ff.) Cf. Napier, Wulfstan, etc., 
p. VIII. 

Lines 100 28 -104 l2 in iElfric are not found in this homily. 

Compare 282 22 -283 18 with (Wulfstan) 6 X -7 U ; Thorpe, n, 
328 ^-^O 6 . 





Homily LVIII. {Fragment.) 


Compare 


! 300 M with Schmid, 266 ; Cnut, c. \ 


« 


300 16 -301 5 " 120 8 -121 5 . 


u 


301 5 -302 10 « 38 3 -40 2 . 


tt 


303 6-i2 a 239 ^l 


u 


303 M -304 14 " Thorpe, n, 328 ™-3S0 6 . 


a 


306 8-14 a 122 ^ 


u 


306 17 -3° " 7 12 -8 7 . 



A Study of Wulfstan's Homilies : their Style and Sources. 59 



Compare 307 415 
307 "* 

307 16 " 20 

307 20-28 

307 ^OS 2 

308 ^ " " 
308 *- 13 " " 
308 13 " 17 " " 
308 17 -309 8 " " 
308 ,3 -309 8 " 179 13 " 29 . 



Homily LIX. 

with Thorpe, ii, 324 17 - 28 . 
179 ^ 
Schmid, 266; Cnut, c. 21. 

a a u u 22 

" 268; " " 23. 

a a a a 24 

" 258: " " 7. 
268 
234 



" " 25. 
^thelred, c. 42-49. 



Homily LX. 

Compare 309 18 " 21 with Schmid, 226 ; ^thelred, c. 31. 
" 309 21 " 26 " " 228; " " 7. 

« 310 6-9 « 15914-17. 

Homily LXI. 
Compare 310 ^-Sll 15 with Schmid, 244; ^Ethelred, c. 9-16. 

Homilies IV, ix, xi are in Latin ; vi is in Latin and Anglo- 
Saxon, xvii, xxxviii, xxxix, lvi are based, in general, on the 
Laws; but these, with VII, 1 xxxi, xxxn, xlvi, xlviii, lvii, 
lxii, are not in the style of Wulfstan. 



CONCLUSION. 

An examination of the accepted homilies of Wulfstan shows 
that the most prominent features of his style are legal phrase- 
ology; heaping of alliterating substantives; numerous repetitions; 
accumulation of short sentences, each detailing some separate sin 
or misfortune ; favorite introductory and final clauses ; intensifying 
expressions ; rhythm ; and striving after clearness. His weakness 

1 Cf. Wiilker, Orwndriss zur Geschichte der Angelsachsischen Litteratur, p. 480, \ 579. 



60 A Study of Wulfstan' s Homilies : their Style and Sources. 

in the use of tropes shows a lack of strong imaginative power. 
His strength in figures lies in the use of those which depend on 
sound for effect. 

Wulfstan is first of all a preacher : iElfric is teacher and then 
preacher. We do not find Wulfstan, like iElfric, lingering over 
distinctions of terms. His sermons are addressed to the emotions 
of his hearers; he is the great forerunner of the modern evangelist. 
That he is, also, in a certain sense, a teacher, is shown by the 
incorporation of parts of the Laws into his homilies. These legal- 
homilies are an interesting example of the inter-relation of Church 
and State. The churchman felt it his duty to keep before the 
^ minds and consciences of his people the law of the land ; the 
statesman, as in the case of Alfred, placed the Ten Command- 
/- ments at the head of his laws. This kind of homily degenerated 
in the hands of Wulfstan's imitators, becoming practically all law, 
the homiletic portion amounting to nothing more than introduc- 
tion and conclusion. 

From the Wulfstan collection I have selected seven homilies 
(xxvn being practically the same as xxxiii) which I think can 
be safely assigned to the Archbishop. These, added to those 
accepted by Napier, make fifteen genuine Wulfstan homilies. 
Nine others show Wulfstan characteristics, though not sufficiently, 
I think, to justify one in ascribing them to him. Of those which 
remain, I have indicated the sources so far as I have been able to 
find them. New light will doubtless be thrown on the whole 
subject when we shall be so fortunate as to have a critical edition 
of all the Anglo-Saxon homilies. 



LIFE. 



I was born at Kinard, South Carolina, July 17, 1864. While 
attending Newberry College, I received an appointment to the South 
Carolina Military Academy, from which institution I was graduated 
in 1886. After teaching two years in the Male Academy at New- 
berry, I returned to my Alma Mater, where I remained three years 
as Assistant Professor of English. In 1891 I entered the Johns 
Hopkins University, where I have pursued graduate courses in 
English, German, and History. I have attended the lectures of 
Professors Bright, Browne, Wood, Adams, Emmott, Greene, and Dr. 
Learned, to all of whom I desire to make this public acknowledgment 
of gratitude for their kind assistance. Especially am I indebted to 
Professor Bright for constant help and encouragement. 

May, 1895. 



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